Tremble For My Beloved
by ShelbyDesu
Summary: Ayumi gets the shock of her life when she wakes up to wings and a tail. On top of that, she's got a man with the opposite powers, after her life! With the help from the boys, can Ayumi overcome her obstacles, while still trying to find herself? HieiXOC
1. Prologue

_Tremble For My Beloved  
__**::Chapter One; Prologue::**_

**_Author Notes:_** Hey guys, this is the original Hiei story i've been working on besides My Own Prison. I hope you like, and please let me know what you think. I worked super hard on this particular story, so i hope you enjoy.

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I always kind of figured that if I were going to die, it would be because of something stupid. Like, being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or, watching something you really didn't want to watch, and now you helplessly go into the witness protection program where you get caught and killed anyways because the marshals suck at their job. However, back then, I don't think I could have ever imagined dying like this.

For one thing, it was strangely cold. Moment before, it was blistering hot outside, but down here…wherever here was…might as well been an ice cave. I could literally see a blue tint to my skin, though I hardly cared about that. I hardly cared about how loud my teeth chattered, how numb I felt, though I must admit it was not all because of how cold it was.

I knew doing this was going to save him. And as long as he was saved, I'm perfectly okay with it. As long as he can live, he can breathe, he can be. I frowned slightly. No, I was right, I could not imagine being in a world where he did not exist. My breathing was ragged, and I could tell the freezing air wasn't doing any good on my wounds. Though I was glad to not have to deal with sweat dripping into them. They were huge, and deep, and covered most of my body. Though I hardly noticed that.

I wasn't sure what I was doing here. All I know was that Demeter wanted me here. Wanted me dead. Wanted me to suffer. How could I not comply, if it meant saving my beloved? Saving the beautiful life that was his, whether he believed it or not.

My days went by endlessly, as did my nights. I did not sleep. I only sat, and thought of my happy memories with him. Even when Demeter's little minions were punishing me, I was in my happy place. I could only vaguely feel them hitting, stabbing, whipping, or even touching me. It didn't matter. I was thinking of him. I wasn't sure how long I could continue it though. I was so tired.

On this particular night, it was extra cold. My lips felt cracked, and I knew they were blue. I knew I probably had freezer burn, as I've said for probably the millionth time, I didn't care. As of now, I could almost feel the warmth radiating from his ski. His crimson eyes as they stared back into my bright cerulean ones. I could almost touch his skin. I could almost feel his hair in my hands, the sweet smell of his breath. I could almost feel him sitting next to me, whispering to me.

I sat alone and cold in that place. A breath escaped me, as I begun to tremble for my beloved.


	2. Eyes on Fire

_Tremble For My Beloved  
_**::Chapter Two; Eyes On Fire::**

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I had to be dreaming. Either that or I was dead. I was fervently hoping I was dreaming rather than dead. A light fog swirled around me, not leaving me at all. No matter how much I flailed my arms around, which I had to admit, looked awkward. See, I was pretty much having an outer body experience. I was up in the air, glancing down at me, who was still flailing about in the fog. I scrunched my nose up. Yep, I definitely had to be dreaming, mainly because I could discreetly remember falling asleep in my bed last night, and not outside in the middle of some fog storm.

I rubbed my eyes, and mumbled out to my other self to relax. I was making myself look like an idiot. My other self seemed to listen. She relaxed, and began to simply walk around. I followed her, though I didn't remember telling myself to. We both stopped in front of a huge wall, made of nothing but mirrors. My other self squinted her eyes, and moved closer. Lifting her hand up to the glass. She sighed as she felt the cool glass beneath her fingertips, and stared at her reflection.

For one thing, she was still in her pajamas. Really tiny black cotton shorts and a big whit over shirt that hung off her slender shoulders. Her cerulean eyes were wide and bright, as they took in the large mirror, before calming down a bit. Her long black eyelashes cast shadows across her face when they fell down. She seemed to be looking for an opening of some kind. Her skin was pale, though not a creepy kind of pale, more of a cream type of pale. Neither I nor the girl in front of the mirror was very tall. We both barely reached five feet. The girl in front of the mirror sighed, aggravated now, and grabbed a fistful of her hair. Her hair was a blood red color, and it barely reached her shoulders. Under her hair however, was black, and it reached just below her shoulder blades. All of it was cut in extremely choppy layers, including the red bangs that fell into her eyes.

Her body was limber, and rather slender, though she still held a strong frame. The girl in front of the mirror squatted down, feeling along the bottom of the mirror. There seemed to be nowhere for her to go. I stared at her, before realizing that this girl really was me. I frowned, walking forward. I was not happy about this, and I knew something bad was going to happen. But I couldn't seem to stop it. I walked forward, as she turned around and glanced at me, scared. I sighed, holding my hand out. She did the same. It was only seconds before our fingers touched.

We both gasped out, as a bright light surrounded us both. We were suddenly being thrown towards each other, though instead of crashing, we fell exactly into each other. I knew she was inside of me now and I was myself again. Whatever that's suppose to mean. I was now facing back towards the fog storm, and I frowned. Turning around. I regretted that action almost immediately.

I screamed, or at least tried to. Nothing came out of my mouth. I gasped at the reflection. Huge, beautiful white wings were now hovering behind the girl, only being moved by the soft fog that rolled over them. They seemed as if they were dipped in a crimson paint, as they begun to silently beat up and down. My hair stayed the same, though on top of my head, was a pair of black ears, with red tips. A furry tail was wrapped delicately around me, and it was black as the tip was red. I gasped at my face further more; my eyes were now a fierce orange, which shone like the sun. And protruding from my mouth was a pair of canines. I felt my voice in my throat then, and I screamed. The large mirror split right down the middle, before crumbling to the side. My wings automatically picked me up, carrying me away from the falling glass. I screamed still, not even realizing what I was doing.

A blinding white line came from in between the two pieces of glass. As it begun to clear, my eyes snapped open. I regretted that action, as well. The light was suddenly on, and the sudden opening of my eyes confused the hell out of my pupils. I quickly sat up, and glanced around and frowning. I was only seeing little green dots around the room from where the light hit my pupils. I gained my sight back, and stared at my bedroom door, where my grandmother stood frowning.

"Good morning." I mumbled, yawning. She hadn't moved. "Are you alright child?" She asked. I nodded. "Yeah, why?" I asked. "You were screaming. I thought something bad was happening." She said a worried look in her eyes. I frowned. "Yeah, I'm really sorry. I was having a really bad dream." I said. She nodded in understanding, and gave me her gentle smile. I smiled back.

"Ayumi Shrine!!! Unless you want to go to school on an empty stomach and miss out on my pancakes, I suggest you get dressed and get down here!" I heard my grandpa call up the stairs. I giggled, and pushed my white comforter away from me. I stood up and stretched, before giving my grandmother a quick hug. "Sorry for scaring you." I whispered. She gave me her kind smile. "It's okay. Just remember, I'm old. So if you're going to be screaming at the crack of dawn, let me know before hand." She said. I laughed. "Yeah, I'll get right on that. I'll draw you a schedule and everything." I muttered. She gave me her serene grin before heading out, mumbling something about getting dressed.

I raised my arms into the air and arched my back, sighing contently as I heard each vertebra pop. I also popped both sides of my neck, and my fingers, wrist, ankles, any my knees, before heading into my bathroom. I let the water steam up most of the room before I stepped in, and let the water wash over me. I shuddered at the memory of the dream. It was so vivid.

I got out and wrapped a towel around myself, quickly rubbing the steam off of my mirror. A small clear hole formed, showing my head. I stared at it, waiting for the awful change to happen again. My forehead wrinkled as I realized that my face wasn't changing. It was just a dream. I sighed, quickly throwing a smaller towel over my hair and rubbing it all over. It wasn't hard for me to do my hair. There wasn't much I could do with all the layers and choppy-ness. All I did was brush it, it was naturally straight, and then shake my head out a little bit. My bangs fell into the right places, as I smirked. I brushed my teeth, and washed my face with cold water, to wake me up, before walking into my bedroom again.

It was a simple bedroom. Only having the necessities. I wasn't much into decking my room out. After all, since I was sixteen, I was only going to be there for two more years. No point it decking it out, only to move away.

I checked my closet, choosing my outfit slowly. Luckily, my school didn't care what so ever what we wore, so long as we wore something. But I loved dressing; I had the coolest wardrobe ever. After dressing in my normal black underwear (all of which included black boy shorts and a black bra), I returned to deciding on my outerwear. I pulled on back tights that went to just above my knees, and then pulled on one of my favorite pairs of pants. There were literally holey. I smiled at them, pulling them on. There were holes everywhere, big and small, which was why the tights were necessary. I secured my pants to my waist with a black belt, which had studs on it, all in the colors of the rainbow.

I began slightly bouncing as I decided on the rest of my attire. I pulled on a black spaghetti strapped tank top. Over that, I pulled a white shirt over it. The shirt was awesome; it looked like a huge animal had ripped its claws all over it, but in certain places to make it look cool. It hung off my shoulders, and the sleeves fell open, ending just above my elbow. I put on white flip-flops and headed over to my vanity. My make up was easy. A little foundation, no blush; didn't need it, black eyeliner; that make my eyes stand out more than they already did, and clear lip gloss. I yawned again, grabbing my simple black over the shoulder bag, and headed out of my room.

I took the stairs two at a time, and grinned cheekily at my grandfather. He gave me his crinkly-eyed grin, and I gave him a hug. "Good morning, dare I ask how you slept?" he murmured. I pursed my lips. They were never going to let me live that one down. I smiled at him non-the less, and nodded. I sat at the bar, and dug into my plate of pancakes. My grandfather was an amazing cook. My grandma had already headed to work, and my grandfather was going to leave shortly after myself.

I ate quickly, emptying my plate in the sink before rinsing it off, and then turning to my grandpa. I gave him one last hug and a kiss on the cheek, before grabbing my bag once more.

"Have a good day at school." He said. I eyed him, glaring playfully. "Oh yeah? Sure, sure. YOU have a good day at work." I said. He shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, I'll get right on that one." He said. I laughed and waved, before heading out the door.

The bus ride was short, but I only walked some days, when I was in the mood for it. I pouted slightly, wondering what Yusuke was up. Yusuke was my all time best friend in the whole entire world. We have been best friends since the diaper years, as to how I really had no idea, but I was glad I knew him. He was like my twin and it was ridiculous. His school wasn't far from mine; I don't know why he never transferred. Well, I take that back. It was probably because of that girlfriend of his, Keiko. Ayumi liked Keiko, for the most part. Every once in a while Keiko would go all parental on him, and it annoyed the crap out of me. But Yusuke loved her, and that made her alright in Ayumi's book.

Ayumi never got into school, though she didn't really hate it. It was just annoying; she mostly knew everything anyways. What she was interested in was after school. She was going to pick Yusuke up, since her school got out a little earlier than his. She grinned, knowing Yusuke would probably try and tackle her when he saw her.


	3. Never Think

_**Tremble For My Beloved  
**__**::Chapter Three; Never Think::**_

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By the time school had let out, I had my ipod earphones in my ear, and my head was bobbing to 'Supermassive Black Hole' by Muse. I was on my way over to Yusuke's school to wait for him, and turned my ipod up louder. I loved my ipod; he was green and I named him Bandit. For some reason, I loved naming all of my electrical equipment, and most of the time they were boys, and yes, most of them had American names. I didn't care; I knew I was weird.

I had other friends at my school; just none even remotely close as Yusuke. And that didn't bother me. I reached his school, and pulled myself up on the branch that I usually sat on when I waited for him. There was about half an hour left of his school, so I simply pulled out my sketchbook and began to draw. I loved drawing, it was my passion and not to be egotistical, but I was pretty damn good at it.

I got lost in my music, now listening to Secondhand Serenade, as my pencil eased over the parchment type paper. My notebook was already half full, and I knew I was going to have to buy another one soon. I wasn't quite sure what I was drawing, but I didn't usually question myself until the outline actually showed up. My mind was just working, and my hand followed its command.

I stopped mid stroke though, after I realized what I was doing. I glanced down at my paper, my eyes wide. I had drawn the long mirror, I had drawn the fog that surrounded it, and I was beginning to draw my reflection and myself. Myself being normal, and my reflection being that demon in my dream. I glared at the paper hard for a moment. "What the hell? I'm not usually that unconscious when I draw…" I said to myself. I snapped my notebook shut, and sighed angrily, shoving it into my backpack.

I looked down, only to see my best friend beaming up at me. I grinned. "Yusuke!" I yelled, and then narrowed my eyes. "How long have you been there?" I asked. Yusuke laughed at me before answering, "I don't' know, a few minutes? You're hard to talk to when you've got music blasting in your ears and you're drawing. You freak of nature; get down here!" He yelled. I glanced at him slyly. "Oh? You want me to come down, huh?" I asked. Yusuke eyed me nervously. I grinned, before literally letting myself fall out of the branch. It wasn't that high up, but it was enough to make Yusuke fall on his ass while I landed neatly on top of him. And it was enough to make Yusuke cry out in pain, which was the main goal here.

"Thank you for cushioning my fall." I said lightly, standing up. Yusuke's eyes seemed to move rapidly around, before he regained full attention. He glared up at me and stood up, dusting himself off. His hair was greased back, like it was everyday for school; except for the rare occasions he left it messy and he mostly slept outside of the school all day long. Those days made me worry; I had no idea why he was so tired on those days.

"You're welcome." He grumbled. I put Bandit back into my bag before grinning. "Alright you goofy bastard, what do you want to do this afternoon?" I asked him. He gave me a look before shrugging. "First things first, I'm HUNGRY!" He yelled. I rolled my eyes. Of course he was. It was the same everyday. "Pizza parlor?" I asked. He nodded hungrily, and begun pulling me towards the parlor. It wasn't too far of a walk, and I didn't mind the company with Yusuke.

We began walking at our normal pace. Yusuke shoved his hands deep into his pockets, before whistling some random tune. I glanced at him like he was insane, before sighing. "So, how's mom?" I asked him. He knew I meant his mom, but I got tired of calling her by her name. She was kind of like my mom anyways, besides the fact that she wasn't ever there. "Same old lush. Drinks too much, comes homes and crashes. Wakes up, eats, showers, and then leaves again. Keiko's going to come over later, and when she sees my house she's going to get all depressed." Yusuke said huffing. I eyed for a moment.

"She'll get depressed?" I asked. "Why?" Yusuke thought about his answer for a minute. "Well…because she sees me not being taken care of. She thinks I'm abandoned, and she doesn't want me to ever feel like that. She'll look at my house, and begin cleaning it until everything is sparkling. It makes me feel horrible, because I just don't have the damn time to clean." Yusuke said, rubbing his head. I gave him a sad look.

But that last bit had caught my curiosity. "You don't have time? Hah. Since when do you not have time? You don't do homework, you don't have a job, and you're at home so what's the problem?" I asked him. He glanced at me, his eyes wary. That caught my interest too.

"It's kind of complicated." He muttered. "Besides, right now, I'm really tired and I don't wanna talk about it. I'm way to freaking tired." He mumbled, yawning for effect. I stopped and grabbed his wrist, forcing him to face me. I had a very angered expression on my face. "Yusuke Urameshi, I'm your best friend. Whatever you're doing that's making you so tired, you can tell me. And you know that. I don't like us keeping secrets, I don't ever keep them from you." I stated. He made a big point about that a long time ago, when I had lied to him about cutting myself.

And no, I wasn't some emo kid who was depressed, at the time; I was simply going through that stage. I was beginning to wonder why I didn't have any real parents, and when I was old enough to understand that they died on September 11th when terrorist attacked the twin towers in New York, United States. And that depressed the living hell out of me. So I turned to cutting myself, of course the stage was over in a years time, but still, Yusuke was pretty uptight about it.

He frowned at me. "Ayumi. I'd tell you if I could, really, but this is important. And it's top secret. Besides, it's not that big of a deal. I guess you could say it's sort of a job." He said, rounding the corner and seeing the pizza parlor. I was silent for the rest of the walk, and entering the parlor. The parlor wasn't very large, but it was large enough to hold a bunch of booths on one end, and a bunch of arcade type games on the other. It was a major hang out spot. I grabbed our usual booth by the window, and waited while Yusuke ordered our pizza. One large with pepperoni, half bacon, half ham, extra cheese and cheese stuffed crust. I grinned over at him as he sat down, bringing out cokes with him. I sipped at mine, and began our usual argument.

"What is it with you and ham?" I asked him. He gave me a sly look. "What's with you and bacon?" He asked. I shrugged. "Simple. Bacon is better." I said. "It comes from the same animal!" He complained. I playfully glared at him. "But it taste way better." I said, folding my arms. He rolled his head. "You're impossible you know that?" He asked. I grinned. "But you love me!" I said. He shrugged. "If that's what you want to call it." He mumbled. I glared at him, before smacking his arm. He laughed as the lady brought our pizza and set it down, smiling before turning away. "Thanks Sayomi!!!" We called back to her. She grinned and waved, before heading back behind the counter.

We ate in silence for a moment, before I brought our previous argument back up. "So, tell me about this job." I said, acting indifferently towards it. He narrowed his eyes at me. "I can't." He said. I glanced up at him and frowned. I didn't want to fight with Yusuke, because then I'd be in a bad mood with my grandparents.

The parlor door opened and Keiko stepped in, eyeing us at the table. Yusuke smiled and waved, as did I. She grinned back at us, before stopping at the counter to order a sprite. She occasionally came with us when she wasn't too busy with her after school activities, and she usually finished off the last piece of my part of the pizza that I couldn't eat. Though she never had to worry about Yusuke's pieces, considering how he practically inhaled them.

She sat down next to him and smiled. "Hello Ayumi." She said politely. I smiled back at her. "Good afternoon Keiko. How's school?" I asked. She shrugged. "Same as always I suppose." She said. I nodded. "I hear you on that one." I muttered. She smiled and begun munching on my last slice of pizza, as I finished off on my third. I had a pretty big stomach, but not nearly as big as Yusuke's. Keiko had a tiny stomach, and it would surprise me if she even finished off the crust to that pizza. Though she might, just because it's got cheese in it.

Keiko eyed Yusuke out of the corner of her eye. "Yusuke…you slept all day again today." She said, her voice full of concern. My eyes lifted up as they connected with Yusuke's, who was looking around sheepishly. "Yeah, um…I didn't sleep well last night Keiko." Yusuke said quietly, stealing a glance at her. Keiko frowned, as did I. I didn't want Keiko yelling at him, but I let he anyways, he did need a good yelling now and again.

But Keiko surprised me. "I know you don't care and all…but I wish you'd take better care of yourself. You look so sick sometimes because of how tired you are. It really makes me worry." She said, her voice full of concern. I glanced at her, before looking at Yusuke's now blushing face. He grabbed her hand before kissing it lightly, and rubbing his thumb over it. "I know. I'm sorry Keiko. I will take better care of myself, promise." He said. She looked at him before giving him a small smile.

"Well, this is such a great sappy Kodak moment, but we've gotta get going." I said. Yusuke laughed as Keiko stood up. Letting Yusuke out of the booth. We laid our money on the table, before leaving.

We dropped Keiko off first, and she surprised me yet again, and probably Yusuke. Instead of leaving after giving Yusuke a hug, she kept her arms wrapped around his neck. She stood on her tiptoes, and softly pressed her lips to his. His eyes widened a bit, before he responded to her. She sat back on her feet and smiled at him, before waving at me. I grinned and waved back, adding a wink. She blushed and turned, walking into her house.

He stared after he for a moment, before shaking his head. "That chick is so confusing." He muttered. I laughed at him. "Don't even complain you know you liked it." I said. He blushed, shoving his hands in his pockets. "That's not the point." He muttered. I nudged him before winking. He rolled his eyes and pushed me away.

We reached my house then, and he pulled me into a hug. "I'm really sorry I can't tell you. I want to. I do, I just…can't. For your safety." He said. I glanced up at him, my eyebrows furrying and my forehead wrinkling as I began to worry. He laughed at me, before smoothing out the wrinkles. I sighed and hugged him once more, before walking inside.

My grandparents weren't home yet, so I walked up to my bedroom, putting my bag away. I came back downstairs and poured a glass of water before sipping at it, and beginning to zone out. I didn't how long I stood there, seeing something that wasn't quite there at all, but when I finally snapped my eyes back into reality, the kitchen had somehow turned into something unnatural. I gasped out as something grabbed my shoulder, and I turned, instinctively putting my hands out in front of me.

That's when I begun screaming. An electric current seemed to be running from my hand to whatever was grabbing me, and as it completely exploded, glass was shot everywhere. I stumbled backwards, ignoring the pain in my face and neck and hands, where the glass was no embedded, and backed up as far away as I could.

In a flash, Yusuke had busted in the door, staring at me wide eyed. I glanced around, but couldn't seem to form any type of figure with my eyes. I began screaming again. Yusuke grabbed me around my shoulders and lifted me up. "Ayumi! Snap out of it!" He yelled. I calmed down a bit, before my eyes rolled into the back of my head. I screamed once more, before blinking. The kitchen was back, and Yusuke was behind me, making sure I didn't fall over.

My breaths were coming in ragged drags as I glanced around. I looked up on the counter where that thing had grabbed me, but it was only my blender. However broken it was, it was just a piece of machinery. I gulped and looked at Yusuke. "What the hell was that?" I whispered, looking down at my hands. Which were tinted red due to the shock that came out of them. "You…blew your blender up." He nodded, his eyes dropping. I glanced back up at him. "I what?" I asked. He stared at me, before pulling me into a hug. "Ah crap…you have to go see Koenma." He stated. I pulled away and looked at him. "Who?" I asked. "My…my boss." Yusuke stated. I glanced at him wearily, and then back at the now destroyed blender.

And then I passed out.


	4. The Spotlight is on

_Tremble For My Beloved  
__**::Chapter Four; The Spotlight Is On::**_

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If it wasn't for the fact that I blew my blender to pieces, I would have thought a baby that could give full sentences out like a pro would be weird. I was lying down, in an office type of room. I could see the baby talking behind his little desk to some people, and I had no idea who those people were. But one of them had better of been Yusuke. I was really confused, and I could feel myself beginning to freak out.

"She's waking up." I heard someone say. I tried moving, but to no avail. Someone's arms were around my shoulders, holding me up. "Ayumi?" I heard Yusuke's voice say, his voice held nothing but distress in it. My eyes readjusted themselves as I turned to look at Yusuke. I felt so groggy for some reason. "Yusuke?" I asked, "Where…where am I?" Yusuke hesitated. "You're in an office. With my team, and my boss. Um…there's a lot that needs to be explained to you." He said, rubbing my back. I sat up into a better position and looked around. The baby was still in the chair, staring intently at me, which gave me the creeps.

I looked to my left, and three boys were standing there. One had long red hair and emerald green eyes; he was about average height. He was wearing red as well. Another guy that I recognized as Kuzuma Kuwabara looked stupid as always. And the other guy was the shortest of them all, despite the fact that his jet-black hair defied the laws of gravity. He had crimson red eyes, and a white star burst in front of his hair, under that was a white bandana. He wore all black. I frowned, and looked back at Yusuke. "What's going on?" I asked. Yusuke frowned as well, and looked back at the baby.

"Um. Ayumi, this is Koenma. He's my boss." He said. I looked at him, and then up to the baby, then back at Yusuke. "Um. Hang on. What?" I asked. He sighed and stood me up. "Koenma. Can you please change into your teen form?" Yusuke asked. The baby simply shrugged, before a little green light appeared around him. He changed. He now looked roughly nineteen, with brown hair. He still had a pacifier in his mouth. I screamed and backed up, hitting the wall with a loud 'thud'. Yusuke held me though. "Stop! It's okay! Just relax Ayumi." He said. I stared at him, and then pointed a finger at the thing behind the desk.

"HE WAS JUST A BABY! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" I asked, getting angry. Yusuke sighed. "We'd tell you if you relaxed. You're gonna see weird shit from here on out, so get over it and shut up." Yusuke said, angry as well. We glared at each other for a moment before his eyes relaxed and he pulled me into a hug. "Relax kid. I promise nothing bad is going to happen." He mumbled. I nodded, feeling a little better, and looked at this Koenma guy.

"Hello Ayumi." He said politely. I nodded dully. "Hello." I said. "Do you remember what happened?" He asked. I thought for a moment before frowning. "I guess. I was in my kitchen, and then…I zoned out. And then I just remember this…thing…was trying to grab me. And I just held out my hand and it exploded. But then it was like nothing was ever there! And Yusuke's sitting there telling me I just blew my blender up. And then next thing I know, I wake up here." I told him. He nodded.

"Correct. Ayumi, as of right now, you are in the Rekai." Koenma said, glancing at the other boys, and then back at me. I gave him a confused look. "Rekai…meaning spirit world…huh?" I asked him. He smiled patiently. "There are three worlds Ayumi. The one you lived in was labeled the Ningenkai, and that is where all humans reside. The Rekai is where all spiritual beings reside. And finally, there is the Makai. All demons live in the Makai, and few live in the Rekai. The only demons that can live in the Ningenkai are the ones that I allow to live there. I am ruler of the Rekai, and I basically oversee things in both the Makai and the Ningenkai." Koenma stated, motioning his hand in front of his desk, where a chair suddenly appeared to be.

Yusuke sat me in it, knowing I would probably fall over here pretty soon. "Um. Okay, I guess I can kind of believe that one." I said, knowing that it was probably true. My grandparents believed in things like spiritual beings and demons, and separate worlds for them. It wasn't like we could be the only living things out there anyways. So that wasn't too scary, but I knew something else was coming. Koenma smiled kindly. "That's good. Usually people have issues believing that." He said, mostly to himself. I nodded, understanding.

"Now, on to the more confusing parts. There are…some humans who have special powers. There are some who are touched by spirits, and there are some who are even gifted by the demonic." He said. "People who are gifted by the spirits, is somebody like Kuwabara here, who I assume you know." He said, waving his hands towards Kuwabara, who gave me a small wave. I looked at him before giving a small wave back, and looking back at Koenma. "They are still humans of course, and you should know that all humans have a ki, right?" Koenma asked. I nodded, that was basic human anatomy.

"Humans that have spiritual powers can basically make their ki into a physical shape." Koenma finally said. I gave him an odd look. "Okay, I get that…. but then again I don't." I said, looking at Yusuke, who gave me an encouraging smile. "I can have Kuwabara show you, but you can't freak out. I'm afraid if you scream like that again, you'll wind up breaking somebody's ear drums." Koenma said chuckling. I blushed slightly, but nodded, looking over at Kuwabara.

He stepped forward, and held his hands out into fist. A second past, before an orange light appeared in one of them, it shot up and went through his other hands, and shot up further. It was half the size of Kuwabara himself. I gawked at it, my eyes wide. It took the form of a sword. "Oh…" I nodded, still nodding. I knew priest and monks could do that, if they concentrated and trained long enough, so that again was no big shocker. Though I was surprised somebody like Kuwabara was capable of doing that. Koenma glanced at me cautiously, before motioning something to Kuwabara. The energy sword disappeared.

"So, there's your spiritual human. Now…I will skip over humans that have been touched my demons…for now. But I'll return to the subject in a matter of time. I want to explain a few other things before we get to that." He said. Yusuke sighed, knowing what was coming next.

"Do not scream. Kurama and Hiei are demons." He said curtly. I jumped and looked back at the redhead and the short guy, not knowing which was which. I clung to Yusukes' shirt tighter, but he gave me a comforting smile. "Ayumi. Just because you hear the word demon, do not assume it is evil. Kurama and Hiei are both good demons." Koenma said. I narrowed my eyes at him. "And how can you tell that they're demons? They look human to me." I muttered. Koenma glanced at the boys before nodding. The redhead stepped forward.

"Hello Ayumi. My name is Kurama; I'm a fox demon. The demons name inside of me is named Yoko Kurama. My friend over there is Hiei Jaganshi, and he is a fire yokai." Kurama said. I nodded, but still hesitant. Just because I knew who they were now, didn't mean I believed them.

Kurama reached into his hair, before pulling a simple rose out. I gawked at him, before he simply smiled. He whipped the rose forward, as it shot into a long green whip. I gaped at it. He also concentrated, as he begun to change forms. His red hair turned silver; his green eyes were turning into a gold color. He got taller; his outfit went from a red jumpsuit to a white toga looking outfit. Silver ears and a silver tail came out, as long as his canines. He glanced at me swiftly. "This is Yoko Kurama." He stated. My eyes were wide, and I could not hold back the scream that came out of my throat.

I wasn't screaming just because he changed, I was screaming because he changed into something relatively similar to the thing in my dream. Yusuke held me tight, and whispered that it was going to be okay. But I shoved him way, pointing at Yoko. "You changed into the same thing I changed into in my dream! Only…different." I muttered. Yoko raised his eyebrows to me. "You mean, you changed into anthro?" he asked. I nodded. Half human, half animal. "Yes." I said, gasping. He nodded, before turning back into Kurama. "I see." He simply said, before motioning to Hiei. Hiei glared at Kurama, and then glared at me, before standing in front of me.

"I don't like having to show my demon form to a pathetic ningen." He said coldly. I gave him a look, I didn't know if I wanted to see. "Are you an anthro too?" I asked him. He glared at me. "No." He said curtly, before reaching his hands back behind his head, and untying his bandana. He kept his head down, so that star burst hid his forehead, and placed the bandana in his pocket. He looked back up slowly, and I squinted. There was a little slit in his forehead, and as I began to examine it, it seemed to get bigger.

My throat closed before I could scream, a deep shudder went through my whole entire frame, as my eyes widened. Staring at me, were not only a pair of crimson eyes, but a wide purple one as well. I found my voice then, and I screamed, flinging myself as far away from Hiei as possible. Yusuke frowned at me and began to walk towards me, but I held my hand up. "No! Stay away from me!" I shouted. Yusuke frowned again.

Hiei was now glaring at me, walking closer. Past Yusuke, past the over thrown chair, and got right in my face. I shivered with him being so close to me. He scared me more than anything, and that eye seemed to pierce through me. "You think this is scary looking?" He whispered, his voice hoarse. I nodded, fervently hoping he would back up and leave me be. "I'd love to. Unfortunately, I can't go back home until you get it through you're skull that I'm real." He answered my unspoken thoughts. I almost screamed again, before his hand shot out over my mouth, keeping me quiet.

"I suggest you get over yourself onna." He said harshly, before he too began changing forms. He tossed his cloak and shirt off, and I just now noticed he carried a katana at his hip, and by the time it hit the floor, I was staring at a whole new creature. For starters, his skin was green. For another thing, instead of their being his three eyes, there was no a hundred of them. Bright purple eyes covered his body from head to toe; his hair seemed to stand up even further if it were possible. "This is my demon form." He stated simply. He shoved out his arm, and there seemed to be a black tattoo of a dragon curling around this arm. "Dragon of the Darkness Flames. My attack. My dragon." He stated simply again. And he finally held his left arm out, palm up, before a gulf of flames seemed to be dancing in his palm. He changed back before anything could really happen. I stared up at him, shaking, and completely passed out.

When I woke up, Yusuke had me sitting in the chair again, and he was holding me securely to him. I peeked around and stared wide-eyed at Hiei, who was clothed and leaning up against the wall he started at, and glared at me. I shuddered and looked away from Hiei, back at Koenma.

"I apologize for that, Ayumi." He said sincerely. "Hiei is a good demon don't let him fool you, but to put it bluntly, he's an ass." He said. I nodded, noticing that right away. "And now, on to Yusuke." Koenma said. My eyes widened even further, it that was possible, as I glanced up at Yusuke. His eyes were wary, as he looked back at me. I frowned. He was my best friend, my brother, and a major part of my life. I didn't care what he was. He was Yusuke to me. I smiled up at him, letting him know it was okay. He grinned before kissing my head lightly.

"Yusuke is special. You see, at first he was like Kuwabara. A human with spiritual powers." Koenma explained. I nodded, as Yusuke held his hand up in the form of a gun. At his fingertip, a light blue ball of light formed. "If I were to point this at someone and let it go, it would shoot at them like a bullet." He said, grinning. I nodded, before looking back at Koenma. That wasn't too hard to grasp. "However, it's been recently discovered that he is also a demon." Koenma said. I glanced back towards Yusuke, wary now.

He grinned me a reassuring look, before standing up. It didn't take long to realize what was going on. He threw off the black tank top he had on, and changed forms. His hair grew out, impossibly long. And it had a spiky look to it. There were also purple looking marks all over his face and chest. I nodded; he didn't look too much different now. He changed back, his hair receding back to it's normal style, only now it hung messy into his face. He grinned and sat back next to me. I curled up next to him instinctively, before looking back at Koenma. "Yusuke is what we call a demon sleeper. That in its self is a really long story, and not one I use to explain. Yusuke may if he wishes, at a later time." Koenma said. I nodded, giving Yusuke a look. He laughed. "I'll tell you later." He mumbled.

Koenma smiled. "Now, back to the subject of people being touched by demons." He stated, getting serious. I had an uneasy feeling in my stomach, and I knew I probably wasn't going to like this. "I'm sure you've connected the dots by now Ayumi. You have been touched by a demon…partly." Koenma stated. I felt all the blood in my face rush out. "I don't…have any other forms. I don't change into anything. I don't have any stupid powers. How could I have been touched by a demon?" I asked.

"Your powers have been binded, by a really strong power. And I do not know what that is. But…you're an anthro Ayumi." Koenma said. I paled again, and stood up. "No. You're kidding. I don't believe that for a second!" I shouted, folding my arms. Koenmas' expression didn't change as he looked at me. "You're dream that you told Kurama about. Tell me about it." He said. I stared at him, before explaining my dream, quickly. Not wanting to linger too much on it.

"Exactly. You've seen yourself in your anthro form…you are a wolf demon." Koenma said. I sat back down, in fear of my knees giving out on me. "On top of that, there is something else in you. And this is very crucial." Koenma said. I just simply looked at him. "Your mother, was a Sun Goddess." Koenma said softly. I blinked up at him. "My…mother?" I asked. He nodded. "Yes. Your father was a full wolf demon, and your mother was a Sun Goddess. Ayumi, you are not only half wolf demon, you are also half Sun Maiden. That explains the change in your eyes and your wings. And the wolf demon in you explained the anthro change." Koenma explained. I leaned into Yusuke, and closed my eyes.

"I don't want to hear anymore." I whispered. "It's too much." I said. Koenma looked down at me. "I'm sorry Ayumi. This has all been brought on you so fast, and I apologize for that, but…I cannot allow you to continue living in the Ningenkai. It's too dangerous. And I have no idea what would happen to you if your powers were let loose. You are going to learn how to control them; to harness them." Koenma said. I simply nodded. I didn't care anymore; I just wanted to sleep.

For the third time that day, I fell unconscious.


	5. A Thousand Words

_**Tremble For My Beloved  
**__**::Chapter Four; A Thousand Words::**_

**Authors note**: before I begin, I know in the last chapter some of you were going, "Um…Yoko can't just come in and out like that." Well, it's my story, and I say he can. Haha. Besides, it was for explaining purposes. So yeah, just go along with it. It's all apart of the story! Thanks!

* * *

Maybe I was dreaming again. Yeah! That had to be it! Because there was no way that all of that was real. There was no Koenma. There were no demons, no spirits, and no anthros. I kept telling myself that over and over again, yet I knew if I opened my eyes I'd still be in the same little office I was in a little while ago. Or however long it's been since I last passed out.

How was I suppose to deal with this? What was going to happen to my grandparents? What the hell is a half wolf half sun maiden demon? And the most important question of all, what's going to happen to me now? All of these questions went around and around in my head, as I sighed very lightly. That's when I felt Yusuke shift next to me, as he began rubbing my back.

"Ayumi. I understand you don't want to deal with this. I know you're scared, but if you just accept it and understand, there's nothing to be afraid of." He said gently. My eyebrows furrowed. I knew he was right, and I knew there was no going back now. This Koenma guy said I wasn't allowed back in the Ningenkai.

"Yusuke. What am I suppose to do? I can't just up and leave the Ningenkai; I can't leave my school or my grandparents. Just because I made something explode, it doesn't mean I can just up and leave out of the blue. Things don't work that way." I said softly, and rather tiredly. I knew I had been passing out because my mind was desperately trying to protect itself, but to no avail. Every time I woke up, I was still this…thing. I frowned lightly as Yusuke began talking again.

"Well obviously. Koenma has a plan that'll make it okay for you and your grandparents. And seriously, you know more than that crappy school you were going to. So I highly doubt school is an issue. You're just making up excuses." Yusuke said; I could almost feel the grin on his face. I huffed out a breath of air. "That's not the point. Were you all fine and dandy with finding out about all of this?" I asked him. He was silent for a moment.

"Ayumi. The only reason why I figured out about this…was because I died." Yusuke said. My eyes flew open, ignoring the bright light suddenly hitting my pupils, and turned towards Yusuke. His expression was grim, and very wary. "You…died? Huh?" I asked, utterly confused. "Do you remember that little boy that I saved? When he ran in front of the car, trying to get his ball?" He asked. I nodded. Of course I remembered; he was put in a coma for it. "Well, I wasn't in a coma, like you thought I was. I died. The only reason why I came back was because Koenma here gave me another shot. He saw my spiritual powers, and he made a deal with me. You'll find out about the deal later, right now, you just need to concentrate on the information already given to you." He said. I stared at him, before letting my head hit his chest.

"Okay. Fine. Whatever. I'm a demon. Now what?" I finally asked after a few minutes. "For now, you will living with the boys here in the Rekai. You'll like the house. I'll hammer out the last few details of the plan to get you out of the Ningenkai safely, and then I'll have you report back here. Boys, make sure you inform her about the rest of the stuff." Koenma said. I gave him a look before he smiled kindly. "Nothing too extravagant. Promise." He said. I nodded, before Yusuke covered my eyes for a moment. I let him lead me around, as I felt a weird sensation, when I opened my eyes I was in front of a beautiful two-story house up a large field. I frowned, not knowing how I got there, but figuring I might as well get use to it.

We got inside and Yusuke sat me on the couch, heading into what I assumed was the kitchen. He came back holding a tall glass of water, and handed it to me. I took it, and drank it within seconds. I set the cup down on the coffee table, before looking at Yusuke.

"Look…Ayumi…I know that thi-" Yusuke started, but he didn't get very far. I had swung my arm back; hand balled up into a fist, and literally hurled it at Yusuke's face. It connected with the side of his face as he flew back, off of the couch. He laid down for a moment, with everyone's eyes turned on me. I crossed my arms and pulled my legs up, pouting. I knew I probably left a bruise on Yusuke's face; he was after all, the one who taught me how to fight. But after a while, Yusuke sat back up and frowned at me.

"Hey! What the hell was that for?!" He asked. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. "Are you seriously asking me that question?" I asked him. "I just found out that I'm a freaking demon, and you knowing ALL of this beforehand, and you're asking me why I hit you?" I asked, my voice low. Yusuke grinned at me sheepishly. "Um. Yeah. I really am sorry Ayumi. I had no idea it was going to be like this." He said softly. I glanced at him, before giving into his puppy dog face. I grinned back at him as he climbed back onto the couch, sitting next to me again. I leaned my head against his shoulder and thought to myself for a little bit, taking it all in. After a while I sighed.

"Alright Yusuke, go ahead and tell me the rest." I mumbled. He glanced at me, "And risk you hitting me again? Nuh uh, no way, not with that right hook." He said. I giggled, and pinched him on his side. He gasped as he looked at me, "Hey!" He complained. "Tell me!" I playfully growled out. We both stared at each other intensely, before I crossed my eyes, puffed out my cheeks, and pulled my ears out. I could hear Yusuke falling on the floor laughing. I grinned and laughed with him, though not nearly as hard. I didn't think it was that funny, but apparently Yusuke, who was now holding his gut and crying from laughing, thought it was hilarious.

He settled down after a while, and finally crossed his legs on the floor, looking up at me. "Alright. So, how about I just let you ask the questions?" Yusuke suggested. I nodded. That was a rather good idea. "Okay, so I get that you're a demon sleeper and yadda yadda, but what exactly do you do for Koenma?" I asked.

"Well, there was a condition for me if Koenma brought me back to life. I had to work for him as something called a Spirit Detective." Yusuke said. I nodded. "Okay, what does a Spirit Detective do?" I asked. Yusuke was silent for a moment, before Kurama picked up where he left off. "A Spirit Detective is somebody who works for the Rekai. They go on missions, they keep the Makai from ruining peace between the three worlds, and they also work in the Ningenkai and fight demons that plan on threatening it. To be a Spirit Detective, you have to have a good heart, and not only that, a Spirit Detective doesn't work alone. The Detective works on a team; usually the team consists of four or five, depending on the type of people." Kurama finished. I nodded, beginning to like Kurama already. For one, he wasn't an idiot, for two he was really nice.

"Okay, so you guys are a team of Spirit Detectives?" I asked. Kurama nodded and smiled. "That's correct. We also enter the Dark Tournament every year, and of course Yusuke here is our leader." Kurama said, waving his hand in Yusuke's direction. My eyes widened as I stared back at Yusuke; who was grinning sheepishly. "Yusuke…. a leader?" I asked. My eyes narrowed, before I began laughing. Yusuke's smile disappeared as he glared at me. "Good one." I said, calming down. Kurama smiled, as Kuwabara began to laugh at Yusuke too. Hiei just sat by in the window seat next to the TV, staring out of the window.

"Really. Yusuke is a great leader." Kurama stated. I chuckled once more, before shrugging. "Okay. If you say so." I said. Yusuke rolled his eyes at me, before smiling. "Alright so…what's this Dark Tournament?" I asked. Yusuke grinned. "It's where all the demons that are in teams, show up to compete against each other to win! So far, we've kicked everyone of their asses!" Yusuke said, tilting his chin up. "A fighting tournament? That sounds like fun…" I muttered. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all. Life down in the 'Ningenkai' was pretty boring anyways. I yawned, before suddenly jumping off the couch. "Oh my god! You know what I just noticed?" I asked, glancing around hurriedly. "What?" Yusuke said, his eyes darting around the room.

"I'm freaking HUNGRY!" I shouted, grinning. Yusuke laughed, before looking over at Kurama. "Kurama here is our Chef, and I think you'll find his cooking to your liking." Yusuke said. I nodded, wondering if that was true. I was really picky.

"Sure, sure." I mumbled, tumbling back onto the couch.


	6. You Remind Me

_**Tremble For My Beloved**__**  
**__**::Chapter Six; You Remind Me::**_

* * *

I was currently watching **CSI: New York**, one of my all time favorite shows, and I was listening to Bandit (my iPod) on the commercials. Kurama was in the kitchen cooking, which was beginning to smell pretty good, whatever it was. Yusuke and Kuwabara were playing I card game; I believe it was War, and Hiei was sitting on his little window seat, staring out through the window. I frowned in his general direction, wondering why the hell he was always sitting there.

"Because it's better than dealing with you idiots." Hiei answered, not looking away from the window. My eyes narrowed as I glared at him. Now realizing that he was a demon and getting over it, he really wasn't that scary. In fact, he was quite frustrating. "You're telepathic." I mumbled, knowing he would hear me. "You figured that out all on your own did you?" He asked. I glared at him. "You know, just because you think you're all big and bad, doesn't mean you actually are." I said. His head slowly turned as he glared at me.

"You have no idea what I can do, onna." He said quietly. "Yeah, because that is totally terrifying. What can you do? Kill me?" I asked. His eyes narrowed. "In a matter of seconds." He said. I grinned. "Oh really now? Then do it. I'm not afraid of death, never have been." I said. He merely glared at me. "Yeah, that's what I thought Mr. High-and-mighty. I'm not afraid of you. Get over it." I said. By now, Yusuke and Kuwabara were staring at him and I, Yusuke looking slightly more troubled than usual.

"Umm…Ayumi…I wouldn't push his buttons." He mumbled. I glanced at him. "I'm not pushing any buttons. I'm being dead serious. If he's going to invade my thoughts, he better get use to the fact that he does not intimidate me." I said. "You say that now, onna." Hiei said curtly, glancing towards the kitchen, where Kurama was eyeing him. Hiei growled slightly, before suddenly disappearing. I looked up and turned around, noticing he was now standing in the kitchen with Kurama.

I rolled my eyes, and turned my attention back to the television. Though that didn't last very long when Kurama announced that dinner was ready. I sauntered over to the kitchen, bobbing my head to Bandit, which was now playing 'Untouched' by The Veronicas.

The kitchen smelt absolutely amazing, I shut Bandit off and looked at the food, my eyes widening. Kurama made a huge dish of homemade macaroni and cheese, with ham and bacon bits in it, hot dogs, baked beans, and steamed vegetables. I grinned, before sitting down. "Looks like you're enjoying it before even tasting it." Yusuke said, grinning and sitting next to me.

I smiled sheepishly and looked at him. "It smells amazing. And since I'm…. a wolf demon…. I guess that's a good thing." I said. Yusuke laughed and ruffled my head. Kurama smiled and placed the food on the table; I looked up at him, before putting plate on my food.

I took a bit out of my macaroni first, and grinned. It was so good! "I'm sorry I doubted you before Kurama, this is freaking amazing!" I commented. He smiled at me. "Thank you." He said politely. I grinned and continued eating, clearing out two full plates of food, before patting my smooth stomach. "That was SO GOOD!" I commented, to nobody in particular. Yusuke and Kuwabara were shoveling down their third helpings, while Hiei had just finished his half of second helpings. I stood up, and set my dishes in the sink and rinsed them off real quick.

I turned back around and stared at the boys. "So…now what?" I asked, looking around. Most of them eyed me with the exception Hiei of course. "You can do whatever you want to do. You can go see your room; most of your stuff is in there by the way. Give or take a few things. You can go outside and I don't know…do whatever. Or you can go watch TV." Yusuke said, shrugging. I nodded, deciding going up to my room seemed like a good enough idea. "Alright." I said, heading out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

I turned down the hallway and looked at the series of doors. There were nameplates on them, and mine was in between Yusuke's and Kurama's. Kuwabara was next to Hiei's on the other side of the door. That couldn't have been good. I shrugged and walked into my room, and instantly smiles.

It was almost exactly like my room at home. Which was perfect. Only it had some additions. On one side of the room, there was a crap load of gymnastics tools. I grinned and ran over to them, instantly thanking Yusuke for remembering. I've done gymnastics ever since I was little, and I absolutely loved it. I had a gymnastics gym at home, and I frowned slightly. Wondering how my grandparents were doing.

At the back wall, there was a huge window seat, and beside that were two French doors that led out onto a balcony. The room was really nice, and I loved it. I walked over to my dresser, and pulled on a pair of my yoga pants. I threw my shirt off from earlier, and pulled on a black under armor shirt, so it wouldn't come up.

I cracked all the bones in my body, before stretching. I then put my hair up into a messy bun, and jumped on my balance beam. I walked it forward, and then backwards, and then switched to my hands. I walked it up and down again, before standing back on my feet. I breathed in deeply, before jumping into the air, basically doing a split, before landing on my feet again. I switched legs and did it again. I backed up to the beginning of the beam, and took two steps forward, and flipped. I landed perfectly on my feet. I did a series of flips, before flipping completely off of the beam. I stretched again, and I wanted to do the other obstacles. Only, something was bothering me.

I looked around the room, and noticed that it was the fact that I was inside. I liked being outside when I did this. I grabbed a short towel, and threw it over my neck, before practically flying down the stairs. "Yusuke!" I called out, stopping in front of Yusuke who was watching TV. He looked over my outfit and grinned. "I figured you'd be keeping yourself busy." He mumbled. I smiled. "Yeah. Pretty much. But, I was wondering if there was that stuff outside?" I asked. He nodded. "Of course. Take the back door." He said. I nodded, and jogged out into the backyard. I stopped and stared around. It was like a huge clearing, and a huge square ring made out of concrete over to one side. On the other side, was my gymnastics set.

I grinned, and immediately went to work. I worked some more on my balance beam, not noticing when Yusuke and Kurama and Kuwabara came outside to watch, and finished up that. I then started on the bars. I swung around that a few times, seeing how long I could hold myself at the top. I then went down to the mat, stretching again, before doing a series of flips. I loved gymnastics, it always calmed me down, and I loved being flexible. It felt like I had no boundaries.

I didn't stop until it got dark outside. I finally sat down on the mat, cross-legged, and looked up at the boys and smiled. They smiled back, before Yusuke said something that completely confused the hell out of me. "You know, it's not fair if you use your tail to keep yourself balanced." He said, grinning. I gave him a weird look, before looking around. Behind me, was a tail. The same exact tail from my dream. I gasped at it, before automatically putting my hands up to my head, and felt two fuzzy ears. I bit down hard, and gasped again at the pain. I felt my teeth; I had canines. I looked back up at the boys, and let out a scream. Yusuke covered his ears and ran towards me, pulling me into a hug.

"Hey! What are you freaking out for! You accepted it, remember?" He asked me. I glared up at him, tears springing to my eyes. "It doesn't matter! It's still hard when I have to SEE it! I HAVE A TAIL!" I yelled. Kurama walked over, starting at me apologetically. "Do you remember even doing anything to cause your anthro to come out?" Kurama asked me. I shook my head. "No, I was just concentrating on balancing." I mumbled. "Well, being a wolf demon, you have to be very balanced. And I think it just popped up to help you." He said. I nodded, and sighed.

"What color are my eyes?" I asked Yusuke, looking at him. He gave me a funny look. "The same cerulean color they always are." He said. "Oh…they were a fierce orange in my dream…" I said, trailing off.

"Wasn't that because you're half sun maiden?" Kuwabara asked, standing next to Yusuke. "Oh yeah…I forgot about that…ugh!" I said, sliding down and hugging my knees to my chest. This was all so confusing, and so fast. I wasn't sure how I was going to deal with all of this.

"We start your training tomorrow Ayumi. You'll be able to control this, eventually. And you might even come to like it." Yusuke said softly. I shook my head, and rested my cheek against my knee. "I doubt it Yusuke. I really do. This is so…crazy. I just don't understand." I said, mumbling to nobody in particular.

Yusuke grabbed my hands, and pulled them up. I looked up at him, as he led me back to my feet. "You're the strongest person I know. Don't let this tear you down. You'll get through this, and you'll be amazing at it." Yusuke said, pulling me into a hug. I sighed once more, before hugging him back. He always knew how to make me feel better, that was one of the many reasons why he was my best friend.

"Thank you Yusuke." I mumbled. He laughed, and ruffled my hair a little bit. "Don't worry about it. Just try not to pierce your lip with those teeth." He said, laughing again. I gave him a small smile. "Fine. But I might pierce your ears. You'd look good with some studs." I said, snapping my teeth towards his ears. "Whoa!" he yelled, backing up. "I don't think so!" He said. I laughed. He grinned, and turned to go back inside, followed by the other boys. I sighed, and followed too, my feet moving rather sluggishly.

It was dark now, and I was feeling extremely tired. I wanted to sleep without having to wake up in that little office again. I ignored everyone as I mumbled an incoherent 'goodnight', and trudged up to my bedroom. I jumped in the shower, having issues washing my ears and tail. I shuddered at the thought, and got out. I dressed in yellow cotton shorts, and a blue over shirt, and got in bed.

I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.


	7. Born To Lead

**_Tremble For My Beloved  
__::Chapter Seven; Born To Lead::_**

* * *

I woke with a start, and jumped slightly. My dream had been more than complicated; it had been irritating as hell. I couldn't exactly explain what it was about, except for the fact that all of the boys were there, including Koenma. It was so weird; I was sitting in the office and everybody was surrounding me. But I was so tiny, and they seemed to be as tall as giants, and they were all telling me things at the same time, and none of it made sense. I shook my head clear of the dream, and sat up. I was supposedly starting my training today. Whatever the hell that meant.

I stood, and reached towards the ceiling like I did every morning, sighing at hearing the satisfying cracks coming from all over my body, and up my spine. I finally cracked both sides of my neck, before walking into my bathroom. It had a simple Victorian style to it, and I liked it. I washed my face thoroughly, and then brushed my teeth. I looked at the mess that was my hair and sighed, I grabbed my brush and raked through it, placing my bangs in their right spot into my eyes, and then through the back of my hair. Letting the layers upon layers fall everywhere. I was careful of my ears, and the area around them. My head was tender where they were, which annoyed the hell out of me.

I sauntered over to my closet, and debated on what I wanted to wear. I decided to put on a pair of jean shorts, that ended about mid-thigh. I got kind of pissed though, because I had to cut a hole in the back so my tail could fit through. And then I just decided on putting a white tank top on. It was a cute outfit, in a summer country kind of way. I didn't bother with make up though, and I just left my hair the way it was. No point in even trying to put it up, it wouldn't cooperate no matter how much I begged. I didn't bother with shoes either. I cracked both sides of my neck once more, before heading out into the hallway.

I skipped to the beginning of the stairs, and stood there for a moment. Debating on my entrance. Did I want to be subtle and cool, or weird and obnoxious? I grinned upon coming to my obnoxious decision. I hopped up on the banister, and yelled, "BANZAIII!!!!" and flew down to the bottom. I felt bad for whoever was at the bottom, because that person was going to break my fall. Not that there was much to me, but still.

It was Yusuke, which was fine by me, considering how he's broken my falls many times. He glanced up at me, wide eyed, before yelling. No good that did. I slammed into him, with an audible 'smack', and wound up sitting on his back, his face buried into the carpet at the bottom of the stairs. I grinned down at him. "You're such a good friend Yusuke. Always breaking my fall!" I said. I heard him grumbling incoherent curses under me, and I giggled, standing up.

I helped him back to his feet, where he stood glaring death daggers at me. I frowned at him. "Hey, hey. I don't need you turning into Hiei!" I told him pushing his mouth upwards to form a twisted smile. He stared at me for a moment, and started laughing. I grinned, and turned around to look into the kitchen, only to see Hiei scowling at me. I gave him a wink, before taking my seat at the table.

I grinned as I completely devoured the bacon and pancakes Kurama had lain out. They were SO GOOD! I had no clue as to why Kurama knew how to cook so well, but it didn't faze me one little bit! And I sure as hell wasn't complaining!

After breakfast, I decided to help Kurama with the dishes. "So…you're a fox demon right?" I asked him, loading dishes into the dishwasher. He nodded with a smile. "That's correct." He said. "So, what exactly does that…entail?" I asked. He thought about it for a moment and said, "Well, my balance is perfect, my hearing is perfect as well. So is my sense of smell. I'm fast, and just like the fox, I am cunning." I nodded, taking that in. "So, what do you think I would be?" I asked him. Again, he was silent as he thought. "Hmm. I'd say…your senses will be perfect, like mine. You will also be fast. As for your other talent…I have no idea. I suppose you'll figure it out soon enough." He said kindly. I nodded, mulling that over as we finished the dishes.

"Alright, you can't put this training off any longer Ayumi. Let's go!" Yusuke yelled. I turned towards him and crossed my arms over my chest. "Nuh uh. No way!" I yelled, looking away and holding my chin up. It was quiet for a moment, before I was abruptly thrown into the air. I screamed, and then went silent as Yusuke's shoulder collided with my stomach. "OW!" I yelled, growling as Yusuke carried me from the kitchen ad out of the back door. "Get over it. You'll feel worse. Promise." He said, chuckling. I scowled at nothing in particular. "Yeah, that totally makes me want to do this." I muttered. He laughed, before settling me on the ground.

I huffed, noticing that I was now standing in the middle of the ring. "Alright, alright. Who's ass am I kicking?" I asked, looking around. Yusuke chuckled, before stepping closer to me. It was then that I realized the other three were sitting on the ground, watching. I was fighting Yusuke. I raised my eyebrow at him. "Oh jeez. This'll be interesting." I said, getting into a fighting stance. Yusuke was the one who taught me how to fight in the first place, and from there I've always been fighting. I loved it. But I haven't squared off with Yusuke in a long time, so this was going to get interesting.

Yusuke backed up from me, and got into his own fighting stance. I breathed in deeply, and then out. Calming my nerves. The sun shone bright in the sky, and it seemed as if I was absorbing the heat that hit my exposed skin. It calmed me greatly. There was a moment where it was dead silent, and Yusuke charged me.

I braced myself, and ducked right as Yusuke swung his right fist towards my face. I crouched low, and sprung myself into his stomach. He grunted as we flew backwards, before we had a chance to land, however, he flung me off of him, and threw me to the side. I scraped across the hard concrete, before standing back up. Ready. Yusuke was on his feet too, and he charged me again. He bent down low, and kicked his leg out, which I jumped over. I landed perfectly on my feet, and sprang forward again, this time bringing my arm across Yusuke's chest. He fell onto his back, but kicked my legs out from under me. On the way down, I went into a back bend, landing on my hands. I grinned, and completely flipped myself over, so I was standing back on my feet.

Yusuke hopped up, and this time I charged him. He got into a defensive stance, and moved to block me. I faked a low kick, before spring myself into the air. I flipped over him, and landed on the balls of my feet, and jumped onto his back. He fell forward, and I back flipped off of his back. He stumbled, but turned around in time to catch himself. I gave him a stern look; back when I fought him, he was not this agile. Nor was he this good. Of course, I wasn't perfect, but the air about him just seemed to scream that this was his element. I began glaring daggers at him.

"Yusuke Urameshi!!!!" I shouted. He jumped slightly, at my tone, and then gave me a look. "What?" He asked, sheepishly. "You've been holding out on me this whole time haven't you!?" I asked, trembling slightly. He took in a breath of air. "Well…I couldn't exactly show you how strong I was back then…." He muttered. I stared at him, mouth open, before I snapped it shut with an audible 'snap'. I stood stiff, as I looked at him. I was extremely pissed off.

I could feel something happening inside my body. It felt like a very warm light in the center of my stomach, and from there it started to flow through me. Through my veins, through my blood, through my bones, through everything. My breath caught in my throat as it reached my head. I begun to get extremely dizzy and I faltered a bit. Yusuke was at my side in a second, but I held my hand up. It didn't hurt. It felt _really _good. It was extremely warm, and calming, and very comforting. Yet, I could feel power coming from it. I could feel myself becoming more than what it normally was.

"Um. Ayumi…you're glowing." Yusuke muttered. I looked at him, confused, but the warm feeling never left me. It was all so much at once, it felt like I was on some sort of high. But I was in complete control of myself. It was just the warmth, the adrenaline, and the power I felt. "Yusuke…what's going on?" I asked him.

"I can answer that." I heard a voice call. We all turned, and saw Koenma moving towards the ring. He hopped up, and walked next to me. "How are you feeling right now Ayumi?" He asked, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I'm…feeling very…warm. I feel like I have a huge adrenaline rush. And I feel powerful." I answered truthfully. He nodded. "You're pulling energy from the sun." He answered, a small smile lighting his face. I gaped at him, and then looked up. The sun blazed in the sky, but I felt no pain in looking at it. In fact, I felt comforted. It felt amazing on my skin, and extremely soothing to my mind.

"It feels….very nice." I commented. Koenma chuckled, before he full out smiled. I smiled right back, the biggest one I've probably ever given. I couldn't help it. There was like a huge welt of warmth in my chest, and at that moment I was completely happy. "Ayumi…you're like…radiating warmth. It's infectious!" Yusuke yelled, grinning. I grinned back.

"Yusuke, you piss me off to no end, but I love you!" I shouted. He gave me an odd look, before laughing. "I love you too?" He asked. I glared at him, as much as I could anyways, and laughed. I couldn't focus anymore, so I sat out and watched Hiei and Kurama train. It was actually quite interesting. Hiei was so FAST!

I pulled out Bandit and begun listening to it, and I grinned when My Best Friend by Tim McGraw came on. I walked up to Yusuke and begun singing rather obnoxiously, but still pretty. "I don't know where I'd be, without you here with me. Life with you makes perfect sense; you're my best friend! You're my best friend!" I sang. Yusuke glanced at me before laughing. I knew he knew the lyrics, and it was kind of 'our song'. Though, not in the 'romantic' way that the song meant. But he was literally my best friend, and I was his. He gave me a look before singing obnoxiously too. "You stand by me, and you believe in me. Like nobody ever has. When my world goes crazy, you're right there to save me. You make me see how much I have." He laughed, and I couldn't help but dive in. By now, everyone was staring at us. We both began singing.

"You're more than a lover! There can never be another, to make me feel the way you do! And ohhhhhhh, we just get closer. I fall in love all over. Every time I look at you! I don't know where I'd be, without you here with me. Life with you makes perfect sense; you're my best friend! Woahhh! You're my best friend!" We stopped singing at everyone pretty much gaped at us.

"WHAT? You know what, you're just jealous cause none of you have a best friend like I do! Or a song for that matter!" I yelled, causing Yusuke and Kuwabara to fall on the floor laughing. I grinned at them. I knew I was still feeling the suns effects, but I was just so freaking happy. From there on, I just randomly danced and sung to different songs. I got stares from a lot of people, even Yusuke from time to time. But I didn't mind.

I was in my element. I And for once, I felt like I was at home. Happy, and free.

I walked towards the house after cleaning, and sung all the way inside, and dancing too! "It's all about us. It's all about us. In you I can trust. It's all about us. If they hurt you, they hurt me too! So we'll rise up, won't stop and it's all about, it's all about, it's all about us! All about us!" I was singing All About Us by Tatu, another one of Yusuke's song and mine and dancing too. I was probably getting annoying, but I didn't much care. "They don't know, they can't see, who we are. Fear is the enemy. Hold on tight. Hold on to me. Cause tonight, it's all about us!" Yusuke was smiling the all the way inside, and I was surprised that my voice even hit Tatu's octave. But I had to admit; I was a good singer.

We made it back inside and Kurama began making lunch. I can't believe I had just wasted a whole day, dancing and singing around.

So much for training.


	8. Undone

_**Tremble For My Beloved  
**__**::Chapter Eight; Undone::**_

* * *

For the next two days I trained only with Yusuke. I guess Koenma wanted me to train with one of the guys at a time, rather than working with all four at different intervals. Apparently it was confusing. I was getting extremely fast. Faster than what I normally am, and I'm pretty freaking fast. I was becoming more flexible too, which I didn't think was possible. I was pretty much a contortionist now.

I kind of figured that was the purpose for training with Yusuke. He was teaching my reflexes to be faster than ever before, to take pain better than before, to even ignore it. Now that I was literally physically fit (and very sore) I could finally begin training with somebody else. I was not too happy with the results.

I wanted to save training with Hiei for last. For many reasons of course. For one thing, he scared the living hell out of me in his demon form. For another, I knew he was extremely fast and very strong. And for the most important, he had the element of fire at his side. It was quite ridiculous, but Koenma thought it was best, seeing as how my element was the sun and that was related to fire.

Yeah. Whatever the hell that meant.

Yusuke had told me to dress light, so I was wearing very short black cotton shorts, and a simple white tank top. Normally that was something I slept in, but whatever. I didn't wear any socks or shoes, or jewelry, or anything. My hair was down and in the way, as always. But somehow, it felt right. The sun soothed me greatly. And even as Hiei stepped up onto the ring, I wasn't nervous, or afraid. I felt the warmth spread through me, it seemed to happen automatically and on it's own now. Which I didn't mind, I absolutely loved the feeling.

Hiei didn't look pleased to be training me, but none the less I knew he would do everything that he could. He sat down, and pretty much glared at me. I sighed, and sat down in front of him. Wondering what was going to come next. "Do not forget, I am only a half fire yokai. I am also half ice koorime." He said. I nodded, though I wasn't quite sure what that meant. "What is a koorime?" I asked him. He didn't answer, which didn't surprise me one bit. "Right. Okay then. What do I do?" I asked him. He thought about it for a moment and then said, "That light that's always around you…do that." He said. That wasn't hard. I let out a deep breath, and let my face tilt backwards so the sun hit my face directly. I got the tingly feeling all over my body, before the warmth spread.

I looked down at my arms, and sure enough, I was covered in a golden glow. I smiled, and looked up at Hiei. When I first started this, I was too happy to concentrate. I guess it was an effect of the sun. Apparently, if I channeled it enough, I could also affect somebody standing close to me to be happy too, no matter the mood. I looked around, noticing that the boys left Hiei and I alone, so I could concentrate. "Good. Now, I want you to try and channel it towards me." He said, adding a smirk. "Let's see if you can make me happy." He said, a bit of mockery in his voice. It didn't faze me like it normally would. A small smile was still on my face, as I closed my eyes, letting the warmth flow all over my body.

Once I was pretty sure I had control over it, I began expanding it. Seeing how far I could push it out. Once I felt that it was out far enough, I opened my eyes. It had stopped right before it touched Hiei. I began staring at the almost invisible light, urging it to move forward. It complied easily enough. It touched Hiei's hand first, which was resting on his crossed legs. I knew it was invisible to other people, but I could see the light glowing underneath his skin, and it made his skin a bronze golden color.

I continued to urge it forward, only concentrating on moving it. It had finally reached the very top part of his hair, and I smiled triumphantly. I looked at Hiei, and I smile faltered. On Hiei's face, was a small smile. I wasn't paying attention before, but I knew that the light was making him feel this way, but it was also weird, it was like I could _feel _what he was feeling too. I gasped, as an electric type current ran through us. Hiei looked slightly puzzled, feeling it too, and then he frowned.

"I cannot hear you." He mumbled. I gazed up at him. "What do you mean you can't hear me?" I asked. He tapped his forehead, confusion still on his face. "I cannot hear you." He said again. I stared at him, shocked. "You think it's because I'm unintentionally blocking you out?" I asked. He shook his head. "No. It's not that it's blocking me. It's like your mind is blank, like you're not thinking anything, like you've never thought anything. It's like staring at a blank sheet of paper." He said calmly.

I was suddenly thankful for this trick, because if Hiei was still able to control his emotions, he'd be glaring daggers at me for not allowing him to read my mind…not that I was doing it on purpose, but still.

I nodded, and then asked him about the current. "You feel it too, don't you? You can't hear me…but…you can feel exactly how I'm feeling." I asked him. He nodded. "Yes. It's…irritating." He mumbled. I gave him a questioning look. "You're too happy. If this thing wasn't in me, I'd probably hurl." He said. All I could manage was to roll my eyes. "I wonder if it gets stronger by physical contact." I said, mainly just as a random thought.

But then I caught Hiei's eye, he seemed to be considering it. After a few moments of silence, he held his hand out. His palm was facing me, almost as if he was going to shoot something out of it. I mirrored him, placing my hand against his. Our fingers and palms matched up, though his hands were just a bit bigger, and then we both gasped. Hiei shuddered, his fingers finally interlacing mine so he wouldn't let go.

I held his hand back, and stared at him, not blinking, not even seemingly breathing. This was intense. Hiei shuddered again, and looked up at me. "I…can't hear…anybody. Nobody at all." He gasped, looking up at me. "How do you feel?" I asked, almost breathless. "Like a thousand little pins are stabbing me, but it doesn't hurt. And I'm calm. Calmer than I've ever been." He mumbled.

I nodded, understanding completely. I was feeling exactly the same way, though it seemed to be intensified a thousand times greater. It was kind or ridiculous. Hiei shuddered once more, before letting my hand go. He gasped, as he held his head, his eyes widening. "What's wrong?" I asked, leaning forward. "Nothing. All the thoughts just came rushing back all at once." He said. I nodded, and relaxed. Letting the sun almost leak out of Hiei, until it was fully contained inside of me again.

He was dazed for just a second, before his glare turned back in place. "Onna. That was…interesting. Though I don't see how that's going to help you in a fight." He said harshly. I shrugged. "I've only just started training. So you, can freaking bite me." I said, smiling. He shook his head and stood up, still glaring at me. "We're done for today." He said, before he disappeared.

The boys were suddenly there, blabbering things all at once. "Dude! Ayumi, did you SEE what you two were DOING? That was AWESOME! You guys were glowing, and there was like a little white light was circling you guys!" Yusuke said, grinning. I nodded at him, and smiled. "Nice." I mumbled. I was now very tired.

I lie against the concrete, and let the sun leak out of me too, until there was just the faint warmth that always stayed with me these days. I opened my eyes sleepily and stared up at Yusuke and Kurama.

It was now lunchtime, as they carried me inside. Lunch was amazing as always. Kurama made curry. And it tasted absolutely amazing. I ate slowly, before standing up and placing my bowl in the sink. I headed towards the stairs, and almost fell over.

Yusuke laughed and headed up next to me, picking me up bridal style. "Ugh! Yusuke! Put me down." I mumbled, still sleepy. He shook his head. "And let you fall down the stairs and break your neck? I don't think so." He said, climbing the stairs and heading towards my bedroom. "How long do you think you'll be out?" He asked me. I shrugged my shoulders.

"Shouldn't be too long I wouldn't think. A few hours?" I guessed, yawning as Yusuke pulled my covers back. He laid me down, and pulled the covers up under my chin. I smiled tiredly back at him, and he laughed, ruffling my hair.

"You're such a weird little thing." He mumbled. "Thanks. What a great friend you are." I said, sticking my tongue out. He laughed, and then ran his hand through his hair. "When am I supposed to be going back to the Ningenkai with this story?" I asked him. He thought about it for a moment and said, "Most likely tomorrow." I nodded, that sounded good. I wanted to give my grandparents a proper goodbye. They were probably worried sick.

I could feel myself slipping unconscious, but I wanted to stay awake and talk to Yusuke. It seemed I never had enough time to really talk to him like I use to. "Yusuke. How is Keiko?" I asked him. He smiled down at me, getting that look in his eyes the way he always did when he talked about her. "She's great. I don't know what's come over her but…I can really say that her and I are dating now." He said happily. I smiled sheepishly back at him. "Aw. That's so adorable." I said. He laughed, and leaned down to kiss my forehead. "Goodnight goober." He said.

I gave him a somber look. "It's good afternoon. Doofus." I said. He laughed, and shut the door behind him.

It only took me minutes to fall asleep.


	9. Don’t Stop Believin’

_**Tremble For My Beloved  
**_**::Chapter Nine; Don't Stop Believin'::**

* * *

Even though Yusuke told me not to get so worked up, I was still incredibly nervous. Last night, when I had woken up, I was immediately called to Koenma's office. I got there, and he then explained to me how I was going to tell my grandparents I would no longer be with them. It was a very well thought out plan, I had to admit, but I was still nervous. I loved my grandparents, how could I lie to them like this?

I was now standing in front of my bathroom mirror, looking at my face. My eyes were a bright cerulean color, and they stood out more than usual. I frowned softly, before raking the brush through my hair. It fell into its usual spot, and I quickly washed my face and brushed my teeth. I applied my normal make up, wanting to look as normal as possible, and walked out of my bathroom.

The clothes were even trickier, I was supposed to be wearing something 'inconspicuous' and yet still 'me'. That way my grandparents wouldn't freak out even more. I sighed, and began digging through all of my clothes. Which was a lot of freaking clothes. I finally pulled on black baggy pants, which I would normally train in, and a blue tank top. I kept it simple, and stepped into my blue flip-flops. I groaned silently, and walked out of my room and down the stairs, a glum look on my face. Yusuke greeted me accordingly, hugging me and telling me it would be okay. I sighed and let him go, turning to the kitchen.

Breakfast was light, well, as light as could be with Kurama's cooking. He had made five omelets, each one having a different filling that served everybody's need. I shook my head, a small smile on my face, and grabbed mine. Which, by the way, was filled with a crap load of cheese, bacon, green peppers, sausage, and ham, and the top was layered with even more cheese. The thing was freaking huge. I grinned up at Kurama, and he gave me a confusing look. "You call this a light breakfast?" I asked, smiling. He chuckled, before shrugging. "It's not as light as humans may think, but I would normally could a full blown out meal, not cheat by shoving everything into a sheath of egg." He said, amusement touching his face.

I glanced at him, bewildered, before shaking my head. "You're crazy. That's what you are." I said. He smiled back, before setting everybody's drink on the table. Mine was milk, of course. I ate silently, not really paying attention to anybody else. Even Yusuke and Kuwabara's horrible table manners didn't have me laughing like it normally did. I was vividly stressed, and everybody could see.

I finished before everyone else, and went to sit and wait in the living room. Hiei followed suit, and sat at his window seat. I brought my knees to my chest and laid my head down on them, breathing in and out deeply. My nerves were all over the place.

_Onna. Calm down. This isn't going to work if you can't convince them._ Hiei thought to me. I closed my eyes, and mentally glared at him. _Why thank you Hiei. I had no idea that I actually had to do something. Now that I know I have to calm down, I'll get right on that. _I said, clearly annoyed. I wasn't in the mood for his temper mental shit. _If you can't play your part, this isn't going to work._ He thought to me. I rolled my eyes. _Look, I'll get the part right. But right now, I'm nervous. And it's not just because I have to lie to them, it's because I have to leave them. You don't understand, I've been with them forever, and now I'm just going to leave them…you don't understand. _I thought, back. Just wishing he would leave me alone. It seemed to work, he didn't reply.

I had to admit, the plan was brilliant. And it was pretty simple too. I would go to the Ningenkai with Kurama and Hiei, and they were going to post as marshals in the Witness Protection Program. They would go in with me, explain to my grandparents that some mob family was after me, and explain that I had to leave the country as soon as possible. They would explain the details, and give them Koenma's number if they had any further questions. If they did indeed decide to call Koenma, he would act as the president of the WPP, and explain furthermore. I was really only required to do a minimal amount of things, but I suppose it was important. I was there to one, convince them that Hiei and Kurama are not lying, and two, to tell them goodbye and make it of a more 'final' type thing. Whatever. I wasn't happy about lying to them, but I suppose I had to.

Hiei and Kurama were even dressed for the occasion, which was pretty weird. Kurama was wearing tan dress pants, and a simple red shirt, with a tan blazer Hiei was wearing baggy black jeans, a white shirt, and a black blazer. If it weren't such a bad situation, I'd say they both looked pretty nice.

The other boys walked in, and Yusuke called for a portal. I was never too sure about the portals, because I hadn't actually seen it the first two times I went through, and I always thought I would end up in some weird ass place. It was kind of odd, but it was also…whatever. I sighed, and Yusuke gave me a quick reassuring hug, before sending me through after Kurama and Hiei.

We arrived right down the street from my house, and I closely followed behind Kurama and Hiei. "Try not to be nervous Ayumi. Things will work out just fine. You'll be able to see them again, just not for a while." Kurama said. I gave him a small smile, and nodded, trying to concentrate on that, and walked up to my house.

We stopped short for just a moment, before I took one last deep breath. "Here we go…" I muttered, and rang the doorbell.

The door opened moments later, to the surprise face of my grandfather. "Ayumi!" He cried, grabbing me and pulling me into a hug. I heard hurried footsteps behind him, and my grandmother came into the front room. She hugged me too, and began crying. I frowned. This was going to be harder than I thought. "Hey you guys." I said meekly. My grandfather gave me a stern look. "Ayumi. You've been gone for days. Where have you been?" He asked, my grandmother still crying.

"Um. Well, that's kind of a long story…" I said, looking at the boys. It was then that my grandparents finally took in their presence. "And who are they?" My grandmother asked. "Guys, this is Vincent," I said, pointing to Kurama, "And Koya" I finished, pointing to Hiei. "They are marshals, for the Witness Protection Program." I finally said. My grandparent's eyes narrowed down at me, before looking back at them. "Ayumi. What's going on?" My grandmother asked.

"There is a mob group in Japan, they call themselves The Oroshimi, and they are highly dangerous. Ayumi here encountered one of them on her way home from school the other day; we guess he was trying to sell her drugs. The meeting went bad, and the kid went and reported back to her boss, saying that Ayumi could report them to the police." Kurama said. Hiei took over; he was surprisingly, a good actor. I figured he'd be rude like he always is.

"We have a secret member in this organization, and gave us a heads up, the mob is after this girl, trying to find her and kill her so she will not tell." Hiei said, his voice business like. It sounded weird. My grandparents gasped, and my grandfather held onto me tightly. "Just because she said no?" He asked. Kurama shook his head.

"No. Apparently, Ayumi is at least familiar with this mob, she threatened him, so he would let her go. She told them she would expose them, and tell the police where they were located, and left." Kurama said. My grandfather glared down at me, and I smiled back sheepishly. "I'm sorry. The guy didn't look very nice, I panicked." I said. He nodded, and looked back at the boys.

"We are sorry for taking her without coming to you first, but if she had made it home, they would have found out where you live. It is dangerous for her to be here now, so we cannot stay long. Ayumi has to leave the country. She'll start over, with a new identity and a new family. She can have no contact with you for several months, but after this clears up, and they realize she's not longer a threat, she may come back." Hiei said firmly.

My grandmother was a white as snow, as my grandfather turned several different shades of red and purple, before he spoke again. "Just like that? She just…leaves?" My grandmother asked. Kurama nodded curtly. "We are very sorry. But she insisted that she tell you goodbye before she left. This is to protect her life, and keep you guys save as well." Kurama said, with sincerity in his voice.

I sighed and looked back up at them. "I'm sorry guys. I really am. I had no idea this was going to happen." I said sadly, that was part was definitely true, though it had nothing to do with the 'mob'. My grandparents stared around, and then down at me, before letting their faces fall. They had accepted it, anything that would keep me safe.

I frowned, and kissed my grandfather on the cheek. "Goodbye Papa. I'll contact you as soon as I possibly can." I said, becoming incredibly sad. I silently cried while I hugged him as tight as I could, and then my grandmother. "You better take better care of yourself. I can't believe this." She murmured quietly. I sniffed, and kissed her cheek too. "It's okay. I'll come back." I promised, not wanting to leave. My grandfather was suddenly staring very intently at Hiei. I gave him an odd look.

He stepped closer to Hiei, and looked him straight in the eye. "You. You will be the one taking care of her…please…take care of her well." He said. Hiei looked slightly taken aback, but composed himself. "I will." He 'promised'. My grandfather nodded, but I was still confused. I shrugged it off though, when Kurama said it was time to leave.

"Thank you guys." They said quietly. The boys nodded, before 'checking out the street to make sure it was okay'. I gave my grandparents one last hug, and left them standing at the doorway, staring out after me. I could feel my throat clog up, as I hugged myself. This sucked.

The boys led me down a separate ally way, and called for a portal. Yusuke was waiting there for me immediately when I got back. He saw my face, and gave me a moment to take in what really happened. He sighed, and lifted me up, taking me up the stairs and into my bedroom.

He sat me down on the bed, and hugged me close. I cried silently into him, sniffling every now and then. "This sucks Yusuke. This isn't fair. I hate this!" I yelled. He rubbed my back, and moved my hair away from my face. "I'm sorry Ayumi. I really am." He said quietly.

He stayed with me that night, and for that I was grateful. When we were kids, he would always sleep with me if I ever had a bad day. It had become sort of a habit. I really did love Yusuke, he was so much my brother in every way, and I was so glad he was here for me. "I'm ruining your shirt." I said softly, it was now very late, almost close to one in the morning. He scoffed lightly. "Like it was in good condition before you got a hold of it." He said, I could feel the smile on his face and I gave him a small one in return. I lay against him and closed my eyes. It was always weird, because I didn't ever usually sleep this much.

Yet here I was, almost every night falling asleep like a rock. Either out of tiredness, sadness, or from being overwhelmed.

I wasn't sure how much more of this I could take.


	10. Stupid Girl

_Tremble For My Beloved_

_**::Chapter Ten; Stupid Girl::**_

I looked like crap. And I knew I looked like crap, because Yusuke was laughing at me when I woke up. I glared at him, and gave him a big shove, causing him to fall off my bed and into a heap on the floor. I glanced at him, and pointed and laughed in his face. He glared at me, before standing back up. "You're an ass. You know that?" He asked. Though it was a rhetorical question, I answered it anyways. "And who would I be if I wasn't?" I asked. He pretended like he was giving it some serious thought, and then grinned. "I see your point." He said. I shrugged, and wrapped my arms around his waist, giving him a hug.

"Aw. You're so cuddly in the morning." He said. I glared up at him, before giving him a good whack on the head. I grinned down at me as I pointed my finger towards the door. "Out." I simply said. His face fell a little. "Aw. But why? I was only kidding…" He said sadly. I shook my head and smiled. "I have to shower you doofus." I said. "Oh." He muttered, before ruffling my hair and walking out of my bedroom, giving me some peace.

I sighed, and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, before trudging into my bathroom. I did look horrible. My eyes were red and puffy, and I had an extreme case of bed head. I sighed, and turned the shower on, stripping myself of my clothes. I also looked sallower, and extremely tired, even though I slept…kind of.

I groaned, and quickly jumped into the shower, I rested my head against the wall and sighed, letting the steaming water run over my body, letting it ease the tense muscles in my shoulders and back. I finally began washing my hair and my body, taking my time, not wanting to really do anything today. I knew I had to train with Hiei more, and that only made my stress level higher.

I thought about his words though. _'Interesting. But I don't see how it's going to help you in a fight.'_ He had said. He was right. I couldn't imagine how making my opponent feel all warm and fuzzy inside, would help me. I'd just make them happier at what they were doing.

I sighed in frustration, and turned the water off. Sure, I was good at hand-to-hand fighting, but even then I was going to need more than a good right hook and my flexibility to help me. I got out of the shower and raked the brush through my hair, not even bothering to place it in its place. It would do it on it's own if I just shook my head a few times.

I walked over to my closet, and pulled on blue stretchy jeans, and a white tank top. I walked out of my room, and down the stairs. I felt suddenly very fatigued, and extremely wary. I sighed, and went into the kitchen, setting down at the table. Kurama had fried eggs and made bacon and hash browns, and set them all on the table. I ate a few bites, but I mainly just played with my food, my eyes staring at the food on my plate, not really seeing it, but just giving me something to look at.

_You should eat._ Hiei's thought interrupted my daydreaming and I glanced up at him quickly, before looking back down at my food. _You should shut the hell up. _I thought back. I felt a moment of Hiei's glare, before he said; _I'm not going easy on you just because of your stupid ningen feelings. _He thought back. I rolled my eyes. _Just because you're a demon, don't think I won't kick your ass._ I thought back, visibly stabbing a piece of my egg. I earned a view questioning glances, before he thought back; _I find that extremely hard to believe. _I was beginning to get very angry. _You're not the baddest thing here Hiei. In fact, I have no doubt that everyone but Kuwabara can beat you, and that's hardly a feat. _I thought back, though instantly regretting that last bit. I peeked up from under my bangs, and my eyes widened as I saw a seething Hiei glaring daggers at me. If looks could kill.

Everyone was now staring at us, and a deep growl emitted from Hiei's throat. "Take it back." He said between clenched teeth. I raised my eyebrow at him, suddenly getting pumped up. I needed to beat the hell out of somebody, and Hiei had been pushing my buttons lately. "Why would I take something back that is true? I don't want to be a liar here." I said back icily. His eyes narrowed as he stood up. "Onna. You're wrong. Take it back." He said, his glare hardening even further. I stood up as well. "No." I said as my jaw clenched. He bit down and with an audible snap his teeth clicked together.

"You'll regret saying that." He said quietly, his voice deadly. My adrenaline pumped even further, I desperately needed to hit somebody. And not just anybody, I needed to hit him. I imagined how well my fist would fit in the side of his face, and my hand twitched in anticipation. "Hah. I highly doubt that one. Remember, beating him is not a feat." I repeated. That set him off, which is what I was hoping for.

He was on top of me in a millisecond, and it didn't take me long to react. My adrenaline bubbled over as I set my feet against his chest, shoving them outwards. He slammed against the table, and completely knocked it over. Kurama was frowning, while Yusuke and Kuwabara were cheering us on. He stood up, and grabbed me by my shirt and flinging me upwards. As I was in the air, I snapped out of his grasp, and flipped, landing behind him on the now turned over kitchen table.

I growled, and jumped forward, and jerking his head into the door of the fridge. "You guys! Outside! Please!" Kurama yelled, getting up and looking at the mess. Hiei turned and growled, grabbing me by my wrist and flying until we were outside. He threw me towards the ring, and I hit it with an audible 'thud' and my breath was momentarily lost. I regained it though in seconds, and stood back up, just as Hiei crashed into me.

I grunted as I hit the stadium ground again, but regained my senses just as Hiei's fist pounded into my stomach. I gasped out, before glaring heatedly at him, and I flipped him over. Luckily, I was way more flexible than he, so it wasn't hard to go into a backhand spring, and use my legs to flip him over. I was now on top of him, and my hand twitched again. I was fast enough so he couldn't stop me too. I raised my right hand; which was curled into a fist and smashed it into the right side of Hiei's fist. I heard a satisfying 'snap', as Hiei was pushed into the concrete. He growled, a little blood now dripping out of his mouth, before punching me in the gut, and flipping out from under me.

He picked me up and slung me up into the air, before jumping. He was suddenly beside me, and he flipped to kick me in the stomach. I grabbed his foot, and slammed him back towards the ground. Though he took me with him. We both ended up slamming sideways into the concrete, and a pile of dust went around us. I opened my eyes, and glared when I saw Hiei above me, his katana pointed at my throat.

"That's cheating." I mumbled out. "Hn. You're weak." He simply said, before turning around and sheathing his sword. I blinked and he was gone. I growled. "Dammit." I muttered.

Yusuke was snickering, while Kuwabara was grinning like an idiot. "It's not funny! He's so annoying!" I yelled out, crossing my arms. That sent Yusuke in a fit of laughter, and I just rolled my eyes. I got up, and jumped down, starting to feel where I was going to be sore. I decided to just go for a walk.

I walked west, and wasn't really paying attention to where I was going. But something seemed to be calling me here. I walked, and pushed a bunch of shrubs out of the way, before gasping. I had found the perfect clearing.

It was in an odd shape, but it seemed to soothe me. The sun beamed down between the trees just right, making the place glow and a lot warmer than the rest of the forest. There was a very small spring on the other side, and I listened to the nature around me.

I grinned, deciding to lay down right in the middle. I layed on my back, and let the sun seep into me yet again. It truly was an amazing feeling. Not quite something I could put into words. I let my breathing become deep and even, and I set an arm over my eyes, just relaxing.

I had no idea what happened next.


	11. Never Think Again

_**Tremble For My Beloved**_

::Chapter Eleven; Never Think::

My friend once had a back injury, a long time ago. It looked extremely painful, and I had asked her about it once; about what it felt like. She told me it felt like someone had shoved a large metal hook into her back, and then ripped it out. It sounded extremely painful and that story alone made my back hurt. The pain I felt now was nothing compared to that.

I remember going to the little clearing I had found, and I remember lying down. And then there was a sickening crack, and it came from my back. My eyes widened, and I arched my back up off the ground, and I screamed the loudest I've ever screamed. Which is extremely high pitched and loud. My eyes almost rolled into the back of my head, as another sickening snap came from my back, and now both sides of my back seemed to be on fire.

Tears fell from my eyes as my screaming got so bad my throat started to burn, but I continued screaming. I needed help; my back felt like it was about to snap in two. I rolled over on my stomach and kept screaming out in pain, as I was now arching over. I noticed a blur of black, and Hiei was beside me. He looked at me with a confused face, his katana out, and then his eyes widened as he saw my back. I was still crying and screaming. "Hiei! Help me! It hurts!" I yelled out, as yet another snap came. This time, I could feel a rib snap in two. I convulsed before I screamed out again. Hiei narrowed his eyes as he stared at me, before he sheathed his sword and kneeled down so he was leveled with me. "HEI! Make it STOP!" I yelled out, gripping his shirt.

His voice was softer than I thought it would be, as he said, "I can't. Your wings are coming out. There's nothing I can do but take you back to Koenma once they are out, and get you cleaned and bandaged up." He said. I looked up at him; my eyes were wide with horror as I gaped up at him. I took in an intake of air as another loud snap was heard, and I begun yelling out in pain again. He frowned at me and stood up. "I'll go get you a more suitable shirt to where, before your wings tear the one you're wearing now to shreds. Yusuke and the others will be here in a second." He said, before disappearing. I began crying again as I looked to my right, where a yelling Yusuke and Kuwabara were rushing towards me, Kurama right behind them.

Yusuke tried to help me sit up, but I pushed him away. "My wings are coming out. You can't do anything." I said softly, as there was another snap. I screamed out, and as that pain dulled, I looked over my shoulder. My shirt had two large bumps in it, and blood surrounded the bumps. I shivered, and waited for the rest to happen, squeezing my eyes shut.

Hiei was back then, holding a fitness tank top, where there was no material covering part of my back. Which meant the two bumps wouldn't be covered anymore. I was grateful for that, as he tossed the blue tank to Yusuke. He turned around, as did Kurama, and finally Kuwabara who got the point after Yusuke glared at him. It all seemed trivial to me, because I was still screaming in pain.

Yusuke gingerly pulled my former shirt over my head, before frowning and wiping away the blood surrounding the bumps. Once it was as clean as he was going to get it, he put the blue tank over me. It was painful to get into, but not as painful as what happened next. I looked over my shoulder again at the two bumps, and my eyes finally rolled into the back of my head as the skin burst open, and little white feathers began sprouting from the now two long gashes down my back. I screamed out, though I knew it did me no good. But there was nothing else I could do. I gripped the grass around me, and tore at it, trying to take the pain away from my back.

Yusuke sighed and gripped my shoulders, steadying me as more pops came from my back. Not all of them were from bones snapping, but from the pressure of the feathers bursting out of the skin. They were growing in numbers, and growing longer as well. Either way, it was still extremely painful. I doubled over again, as a final loud sickening crack that made even Hiei cringe and look away for a moment, and I screamed my loudest. I finally hit the grass, panting. I looked over, as the pain finally numbed enough for me to grasp that I now had two fiery colored wings out of my back, beating away the blood that clung to them. It hurt for them to beat, but it was more of an unpleasant tugging sensation. I tried to regain my breath, as it was only coming out in ragged tones, but I was still in an immense amount of pain.

The last bit pushed it's way out of my back, and my wings were finally free. They were huge, and if I were standing up, the very tip of each wing would reach right below my calf. I gaped at them, before looking at Yusuke, who had a small smile on his face. "They're gorgeous Ayumi." He said quietly. I glared at him, as I huffed out. "They hurt!" I yelled out, angrily. Yusuke was quiet for a minute, before his eyebrows furrowed.

"We have to get you back to the infirmary, so your back can heal. But…I can't pick you up. I'd hurt you." He simply said, peeking a glance at Hiei. I scowled at about the same time he did, and he glared over at me. He sighed and reached down, grabbing a hold of my wrist. "This is going to hurt." He simply said, his tone harsh, as he pulled me up off the ground. The broken bones in my back shifted against one another, and I screamed out, but it only last for a second until I was in Hiei's arms. He had one arm underneath my knees, and the other right under my wings, so he would not put any pressure on the broken bones. I was thankful now, because he knew what to do, and Yusuke would have definitely hurt me. However, I now had to put my arms around Hiei's neck to keep from falling off, and I closed my eyes as I waited for his seriously fast running to hurt my back. I didn't feel anything.

I opened my eyes as they widened. We were running, but it wasn't his usual run. He was running just fast enough so the pace was so smooth, it didn't even feel like we were running. I sighed and glanced at Hiei, who was staring straight ahead. "I know you don't like me, but thank you." I said curtly. He glanced up at me for just a moment before saying, "Hn." I nodded. That was a good enough response. I was suddenly very tired, and my back was aching, and I couldn't help but slightly rest my face against the top Hiei's forehead, away from his Jagan. "Onna. What are you doing?" He asked. "Shush. I'm tired." I said back quietly. He scoffed, but let it go.

He reached the house, where a portal was already waiting for us, and he stepped through, not breaking his pace. And he finally stopped in Koenma's and came to a halt. Koenma was there waiting with a few ogres, and he motioned for Hiei to follow him. He did, walking in a pace that kept my back from hurting, though everything ached enough as it was, and we entered the infirmary. He slightly nudged his head, as I lifted mine away from his, sighing. "This freaking sucks." I managed to squeak out. Koenma gave me a sympathetic smile and said, "Wings aren't fun the first time around." He motioned for Hiei to set me down on the bed. Hiei gazed up at me.

"This is going to hurt." He said, like before, and he grabbed my wrist, and set me down in one fluid motion. The bones rubbed against one another again and I cried out in pain, though my voice was cracking by now. And then the pain was gone again, well, as gone as it was going to get. A team of nurses and doctors worked on me then, as Hiei tore his shirt off and frowned at the blood that spotted it. He sneered at it, before tossing it in the trashcan, and going to sit on the windowsill and wait for the boys.

They came in soon after, and Yusuke sat by my side and held my hand while the doctors began wrapping me up. It hurt so badly, but I knew screaming wasn't going to help anybody. And so I suffered through this pain on my own, only wincing when the doctors got too close to the base of my wings. I knew that spot was going to be particularly sore for a while. I groaned in protest at the thought.

After what seemed like a few hours, I was finally drugged up enough so I couldn't feel anything at all. My wings were spread about behind me, and I watched as they changed colors. The fiery color seemed to almost bleed out, revealing a soft white color. And at the very tips, they stayed the color of the sun. I smirked at them, and lightly ran my fingers over them. They were extremely soft, and very beautiful. However, I was still pissed that they caused me this much pain.

And the fact that I had to stay in this hospital bed for the next week did NOT help my mood what so ever. I could almost feel myself getting extremely ticked off, and it was not a pleasant feeling. I knew that this whole stressful situation was going to snap here pretty soon, and by this point I was hoping that anybody would even try and push my buttons. I wanted a good fight.

A week past by slowly. And I mean really slowly. I was on my last nerve as I was only suppose to be in here for the next ten minutes, and I could finally go back home. My back had completely healed over, and now my wings felt like they were a natural part of my body. I was also very curious on how to use them, and how to fly. I was going to work on that as soon as I got home. I was edgy as I waited to be dismissed, and as the doctors finally released me, I all but tackled them out of my way to get back to Koenma's office. I walked in and gave him a bitter smile.

"Ah. Ayumi. It's nice to see you're up and running again. Sorry you had to go through that, really. But I'm sure you'll come to love the wings. They're very stunning, by the way." He said, waving his hand in the air as a portal appeared. I eased up a bit on him, and realized that it wasn't his fault. Though I very much wanted it to be somebody's fault. I sighed. "Yeah. I know. Thanks Koenma." I said, before ducking in the portal.

I was now standing in the living room and I noticed the boy's head all turned and looked at me. Yusuke smiled and jumped off the couch, running to hug me. I smiled brightly and returned the hug, feeling a little better, but still extremely ticked off. Kuwabara waved and I waved back, while giving Kurama and Hiei curious glances. They were staring at me, both of their eyebrows were furrowed, and they seemed to be concentrating on something. "What?" I finally asked, pulling out of Yusuke's hug.

"There's something wrong." Kurama said softly. I gazed at him. "Like…what?" I asked, my wings twitching. "You're bottling your energy up. Onna." Hiei snapped, finally understanding. I gave him a quick look. "Well duh. I couldn't very well release my energy out on the poor doctors. As annoying as they were, it wasn't there fault." I said. Hiei glared at me. "You're a sun maiden. I don't think you quite realize what that means. Get out of the house, and go train. Or do something. Just go get rid of that, before you blow the house up." He said heatedly. I glared at him, before grinning. He raised his eyebrow. "Why are you looking at me like that, Onna?" I asked him. "Because. You just gave me a good idea." I said.

I knew simply asking him wasn't going to help, so I simply acted on impulse. Which was always fun for me. I was in front of Hiei in a flash, and before he had time to blink, I raised my fist, and punched him square in the mouth. He flew backwards, and I smiled as the glass to his precious window broke and fell around him. He fell outside, but quickly regained himself and landed on his feet. He was now glaring daggers at me. "Onna. Get out here. Now." He said, his teeth snapping together. I grinned, and shot myself out the window. The air flew over me more easily now, and I was thinking it was because of my wings.

Not a second after I landed, Hiei had me in the air again. He swiftly bent down and grabbed my ankle, before tossing me into the air. I hadn't quite expected that, so I gasped when I flew extremely high up. He jumped up, using the house as leverage, and kicked me towards the backyard. I got it now; he wanted me in the ring. Well, that was perfectly fine with me.

I flipped in the air, and let my wings spread out. I concentrated for a second, and they began to beat forward on their own accord. I turned around, and landed gracefully on the concrete. I grinned as Hiei was in front of me, and we begun fist fighting. I dodged his fist a little more easily now, and I hit him a little easier now too. Though, nothing that was going to stop him. He jumped back, before charging me again. I let the sun's warmth flow through me now, hoping to finally have an attack that was going to be useful.

Hiei was in my face, and punched me right in the mouth before I could blink. I flew back, and landed on my back. My wings twitched painfully as I cried out, and then something seemed to click in Hiei's eyes. I jumped up, but he was suddenly behind me. He grabbed both of my wings, and slung me across the ring. I cried out in pain again, as the skin around the base of my wings began to pull from the pressure. It really hurt. I gasped and glared up at him, and I got angrier.

"I suggest you stop while you're ahead, baka." I told him, standing back up. He smirked at me. "Hn." He simply said, before disappearing again. My eyes flared, and I used my wolf ears to hear him out. I frowned though, when they couldn't detect anything, my tail twitching nervously. He suddenly was beside me, and picked me up by my wings again, and flung me over his shoulder and onto my back on the concrete. I gasped out, and then growled.

I turned over on my stomach, and used my legs to spring myself into his stomach. We flew back, and he landed on his back. I sat up, and punched him a few times in my stomach, as the warmth in me began to get hotter. He glared at me, and pushed me off of him. I flew back and landed on my feet, and glared right back. He was up in a second. And there was something in his look that made me want to tear him to pieces. My bared my fangs at him, and motioned him to come forward. He complied, moving fast. I listened more intently now, and I finally heard him moving.

I turned to him, and he stopped short and gazed at me. "Your eyes are a series of orange colors again." He said simply, before disappearing. I was literally boiling from head to toe. I was so sick of him. He came at me from behind, and I spun on my heel quickly, and swung my arm back. A huge golden ball of energy formed around my fist and it connected with Hiei's face. He yelled out as he flew back and hit a tree. His eyes were wide as he gasped out and fell to the ground. Both of my hands were now glowing with energy and I charged towards him. I began to rapidly punch him, and he hard a harder time blocking me this time.

Eventually, he shoved me back, and kicked me in the stomach. I flew back towards the ring and held my hand out. An extremely long golden cord formed in my hands, and it was made out of pure energy again, though it felt like steel. I slung it out, not even sure how to use it and how I made it, but I moved as if I'd always had this attack. I wrapped the cord around Hiei's waist, and flung him towards me.

He growled, and raised his forearm and struck me across the head. I flew back, the cord disappearing, and I tired something else. I flew at him now, the warmth in me had sprung to the outside of my body, and I was now covered in a glowing light. I hit him with full force, and we were both engulfed in a white light.

When the white cleared, Hiei was panting, and he had a large gash going across his chest. However, his katana was now pointed at my throat, while he had me leaned up against a tree. "Not bad. Now you just need to learn how to do that when you're not just pissed." He said, before disappearing. I glared at him and scoffed, and suddenly felt much better. I stumbled my way inside and glanced around, where the other three boys were looking at me incredibly. "Dude, that was awesome Ayumi." Yusuke said, smiling. I smiled back at him, and the anger that I held before had ebbed.

"That was kind of scary. I was so angry." I said quietly. Kurama nodded and sighed. "That's what happens when you let your energy build up like that. You could have seriously damaged Hiei though." He said quietly. I snorted. "Good. Serves the pissy boy right." I said. Yusuke laughed at me, as Kurama smiled and got up and walked into the kitchen. He was making beef and broccoli, to welcome me back home. I sighed, and glanced at my wings again and smiled. I had to admit, that was pretty cool.

Though I couldn't help but feel as if something had changed.


	12. Decode

_**Tremble For My Beloved**_

::Chapter Twelve; Decode::

That feeling hadn't gone away, and it was really starting to bug me. I wasn't quite sure why, but I just shrugged it off and thought it to have something to do with my powers. Which was all fine and dandy. Kurama and taught me how to use that cord I conjured up, and it was freaking awesome. Kurama used his own whip against mine, and although it hurt like hell, it was definitely worth it. As for the fist of energy, Kuwabara himself had taught me how to beckon that to my use when needed. Everything was starting to become more routine to me, and that kind of bugged me. But I knew it was only until I got my powers under control, and then things would get more interesting.

I was starting to think that as long as I pulled enough warmth from the sun, I could conjure it into any weapon I wanted, and I decided to test it out today; which was bound to be a lot of fun, for me anyways. I sat in the ring, and grinned at Yusuke as he hopped up onto the ring. He gave me an odd look before asking, "What are you grinning about, monkey?" I laughed and stood up, grinning. "Well, I was thinking about having a gun fight." I said absentmindedly. Yusuke's face was priceless as he gaped at me. I pointed my finger at him and laughed, almost doubling over. By now, the other three boys were watching us. Yusuke controlled his face before smiling sheepishly.

"Sorry…that was just rather random. What do you mean by gun fight?" He asked. I rolled my eyes and set my hands on my hips. "Your spirit gun against my sun gun." I said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Yusuke raised his eyebrow at me. "You have a gun?" He asked. This time, I shrugged. "I don't know yet. I hope so, other wise this would be a pretty lame fight." I said, before earning a glare from Yusuke. I grinned at him and gave him another wink, before closing my eyes, it was already easy enough to bring out my rope, and that's what I did. I concentrated, picturing in my head that the rope would begin to change shape. When I stared at it again, it had become fuzzy, and it was getting shorter. Yusuke stared at me wide eyed, as a soft glow surrounded the object in my hand, and when it cleared, I was holding a golden gun, made out of nothing but energy, in my hand. I grinned, and cocked it, pointing it straight at Yusuke.

"Alright. Let's get this started." I said, getting into a defensive position. Yusuke smirked, and moved into an offense position, positioning his own hand in the shape of his rei gun. We circled each other as we got closer and closer to one another, and when we were finally within reach of each other, we began fighting. He swung his right fist towards me, well; at least I thought it was his right. I was suddenly being hit in the face with his left fist, and I was thrown backwards. I landed on my side, almost skidding off the ring. I stood up and glared. I had almost forgotten how much Yusuke's punch hurt. When Yusuke gave his punch all he had, his opponent was probably not going to get back up. I smirked and rushed Yusuke; he stood in a defensive position, and blocked his upper body. I grinned, and faked a right swing, before crouching down and using my feet and spearing myself into Yusuke's middle section, which wasn't protected.

He let out a gust of air as we flung backwards. I jumped back, and landed on my feet, as his back hit the ground once, and he used his hand to do a back flip and landed on his feet. I gave him a smile, while he gave one back, and we rushed each other again.

I reached forward and clasped my hands around his wrist as he did the same. We battled for strength for a minute, each of us seeming to be just standing still, before Yusuke's physical strength overpowered mine. He lifted me up, and went into a back bend, meaning to slam me in the ground. I grinned, mentally thanking my gymnastics training, I landed on my feet. And now, Yusuke and I were both in a back bend, using our feet and our clasped hands to hold us up. Yusuke gasped and glared at me. I giggled a bit; before we began trying to out do each other's strength again.

This time I managed to over power him, and I used all of my strength to lift myself up back on my feet, still holding Yusuke. I slung him over my head, and he flew, landing ass first on the concrete. He winced as he stood, rubbing his bum. I laughed at him, before holding my hand out. The sun gun appeared effortlessly, and Yusuke smirked as he charged me yet again. I bent down to the ground, and shot myself upwards, I was a good thirty feet in the air, and I flipped over him, and pointed my gun at him.

I pulled the trigger, and a small amount of energy; in the shape of a bullet no less, flew from the barrel. It hurled towards Yusuke, who barely dodged it. He jumped into the air after me, and attempted to fling me into the ground. I grunted with the effort, and then realized I had wings. I shook my head at my own stupidity, and began to beat them up and down. The wind shuffled the feathers and sent me upwards, Yusuke suddenly now dangling from my ankle.

I wasn't really paying attention, I was concentrating on steering; I really needed to learn how to fly better. I looked down and almost came to a halt completely with shock; Yusuke had his right hand that wasn't attached to me, in the shape of a gun. The blue form of rei energy had formed at the tip of his finger. He had it pointed at me as he winked and smirked. "SHOT GUN!" He yelled, releasing the ball of rei at me. I yelled out, as he slammed into my stomach.

Luckily it wasn't very high powered, but it still hurt like hell. I grit my teeth as I fell back towards the ground, Yusuke now clinging on with both hands. He grabbed my shoulders and finally moved me under him, so I would break his fall. I glanced up at him, and winced at the pain my stomach. "YOU ASS!" I yelled, turning so he was under me now.

We wrestled like that for a while, until we were both inches from the ground. We then grabbed hands, and pushed off each other, Yusuke flew into a tree and fell, while I flew towards the house. I grit my teeth, and used my wings to set me sideways. My feet hit the wall, as I felt the shock go through my knees and I gasped. But I stayed on the wall, and knelt down, and finally rocketing myself off. I used my wings and beat them only once, as I shot forward like a bullet.

Yusuke had gotten up, and had barely made it back onto the ring. His eyes were wide as I was inches away from him, and I raised my gun, and shot three rounds off of it. They pelted him in the shoulder, stomach, and thigh. He yelled and fell backwards, and landed on his back. I stopped and landed on my feet, glancing at Yusuke, who was glaring at me from the ground.

"YOU ASS! You packed more power in that one! CHEATER! What are you trying to do, kill me!?" He yelled. I rolled my eyes and smiled at him. "Baby. You're just a sore loser." I said smirking. He got up, wincing and holding his stomach, though I was still doing the same, and he glared at me. "You're still an ass. I want a rematch!" He yelled. I laughed and shook my head. "You're…. freaking crazy." I said grinning. He growled as Kurama stepped up onto the concrete and smiled.

"That was very good you guys." He said. "But honestly, I believe it's time for lunch." He finished, his voice kind. I gave him an odd look, while he gave me a confused and startled one. "What?" He asked. "Why do you do that?" I asked him. He was quiet for a moment. "Do what?" He asked. I rubbed my slightly burnt stomach and asked, "Why are you so…nice? It's kind of…weird." I gave him a little smile to show that I didn't mean anything by it, I was just curious.

Kurama was thoughtful for a moment, giving me an odd look himself. "Why, it's how I was raised." He said, a hint of humor in his voice. I raised my eyebrow at him as Yusuke snickered. "You use to be a bandit. So, tell me how that one works, buddy?" I asked, crossing my arms. Kurama chuckled a bit before simply shrugging his shoulders. "I do not know. In a sense, the Suichi part of me, was raised to be a gentleman. And since 'Suichi' is the dominant part in me, that is how I act." He said. I thought about that for a moment, and smiled. "Okay. I was just wondering." I said, looking at Yusuke who was now working out the kinks in his neck. I grinned, and punched him right in the gut, where he winced and doubled over from his 'gun shot' wound. I laughed wildly as I ran back towards the house, with a cussing Yusuke running after me.

Kurama shook his head as he looked over at Hiei, was standing in front of the ring thoughtfully. "You sense it, too?" Kurama asked. Hiei blinked, and gazed up at Kurama. He was silent for a moment before answering. "Yes. And she has no idea." He said, shoving his hands in his coat pockets. Kurama nodded and sighed. "Koenma was right to have her brought here. If her power were to suddenly explode in the Ningenkai, it would be disastrous." He said, stepping off of the ring. "Hn. It wouldn't make a difference to me. She's still a baka onna." He said coldly. Kurama was silent for a moment, before deciding it was safe to cross Hiei's boundaries.

"She's not horrible, Hiei." He said quietly. Hiei snapped a quick look at his friend, before looking back towards the rings. "She's loud and obnoxious, and extremely annoying. It's bad enough I had dumb and dumber to deal with." He said. Kurama smiled gently. "Don't even pull that one, as much as you won't admit it, you love every one of us." Kurama said, giving Hiei a sly look. He knew that was bound to get a reaction out of Hiei, but it was true, and Hiei knew it. And just as he thought, Hiei glared in his general direction. "Hn. I do not love any of you buffoons." He said coldly. Kurama smiled again. "You can't fool me Hiei. And I am not a buffoon." He said, pretending to be a little offended. Hiei was silent for a moment, as his eyebrows furrowed.

"Hn. Shut up." He muttered, turning to walk in the house. Kurama smiled, before following his friend. He'd been acting especially cold towards Ayumi, but he figured it was only a matter of time before Hiei warmed up to her, too. They walked around the front of the house, and as soon as Kurama's hand hit the door, there was a sudden burst of energy.

And the back corner of the house blew up.


	13. She’s The Blade

_**Tremble For My Beloved**_

::Chapter Thirteen; She's The Blade::

Hiei gave Kurama one look, before nodding his head. Kurama rushed the door open, as Hiei entered before him, katana out and ready. They reached the back corner of the house, where they saw nothing but smoke. They heard a lot of coughing and some shouting, before the smoke cleared enough for them to make out three figures sprawled across the floor. Hiei was next to Yusuke in a flash, his katana at ready as his eyes darted around, and out of the hole in the wall.

I coughed and turned on my side, wincing and groaning in pain. "Ow." I groaned out. Kurama was by my side in an instant, sitting me up. "What happened?" He asked, looking at Yusuke and Kuwabara, who were trying to sit up as well. "I…I don't know. We were all back here just kind of messing around and then there was a blast, and then something hit all three of us before we could even blink. It felt…like a tiny ball of water entering right in the center of my chest. It was freezing." I said, trying to stand up. With Kurama's help, I managed to wobble to my feet, before almost falling again.

Though I was surprised when I didn't hit the ground. I looked up, and noticed that Hiei had caught me, though he was still glaring outside through the huge gaping hole in the house, probably using his Jagan to try and find who was just recently here. "Thanks." I muttered. He looked down for just a brief second before standing me upright again. "Hn." He muttered back, before taking off into the forest. I shook my head and helped Yusuke up, while Kurama tended to Kuwabara.

Yusuke's eyes rolled into the back of his head for a moment, before he shook his head and he came back. He groaned as he gripped his head. "Holy hell. What was that?" He asked. I shrugged and helped him steady himself. "And how am I suppose to know? You freaking monkey." I said. He glanced down at me before giving a small smile. "Shut up." He said after a moment. "Nice come back." I said, teasing him. He shook his head and steadied himself, before calling for a portal.

The three of us stumbled in after one another, Kurama and Hiei following behind, who appeared to show up out of thing air. How he did that, I have no idea. I shook my head and walked through, stumbling around a bit as I landed. The portal always made me a little dizzy, and the fact that I was already dizzy didn't help the fact. "Oh!" I gasped, as I landed flat on my bum. I gripped my head for a second, before putting my head between my knees and breathing. Once I was sure the room had stopped spinning, I looked back up, where Yusuke and Kuwabara didn't look so well either.

"Guys, what's going on?" Koenma asked, staring down at me from behind his desk. "We're not entirely sure. Something was there and it blew up the back corner of the house. Something was thrown at all three of them; Ayumi said it felt like a little ball of ice water." Kurama said, glancing down at me and then back at Koenma. His eyes narrowed slightly as he sat back in his chair.

"How do you guys feel?" He asked, looking at us. "And be honest." He said, crossing his arms. I looked up at Yusuke and Kuwabara before sighing. "Dizzy. Massive headache. Nauseous. Sleepy. You get it." I said, holding my hand up. Yusuke grabbed it and gingerly helped me to my feet, and steadied me.

Koenma was looking over us warily. "I want you guys to sleep. And I don't want you doing anything strenuous. I'll try to dig something up, because there's no way that was either an accident or a coincidence." He said, calling for Botan and George. He waved his hand and a portal appeared, and I glanced at it warily. "I don't know if I can go through that again." I mumbled, gripping my head again. Yusuke attempted to pick me up, but his legs gave out on him, as he stumbled to the ground, taking me with him. I groaned and just layed there, slightly laughing.

"Why is this funny?" Yusuke asked, giving me an odd look. "Because! We're supposed to be these bad spirit detectives, yet here we are knocked flat on our butts because of a little ball of water!" I said, laughing again. Yusuke sighed, before placing an arm over his eyes. "The light hurts." He mumbled. "You emo kid." I mumbled back, doing the same. He chuckled quietly next to me, while we Kuwabara trying not to vomit, though he was steadier on his feet than Yusuke and I were.

Kurama walked over, and hauled Yusuke to his feet, and led him towards the portal, and Kuwabara followed promptly. I was still laying on the floor, and I had no intentions of moving. "You really can't move, can you?" I heard a voice ask. I moved my arm just for a moment, before sighing. "No Hiei. I cannot move." I said tiredly. I couldn't believe how tired I was. My eyes were actually hurting because I was so tired. "Of course you can't." I heard him mutter. I glared back up at him, before growling and lifting myself up off the ground. He held his arm steady, ready to catch me if I fell, but I continued to glare at him and literally punched him square in the shoulder. He moved back, and glared back at me.

"Ayumi don't fight him please, you're hurt enough as it is." Koenma said, rummaging through papers, and talking to Botan in a low voice. I whipped around to Koenma, and gasped in pain, as my eyes rolled into the back of my head and I fell backwards. Of course, Hiei caught me. "Onna. Stop being foolish." He said, before picking me up bridal style. "Why are you the one always carrying me?" I asked quietly, as I pinched the bridge of my nose between my two fingers, trying to get rid of the headache. "I don't really care." He said, walking towards the portal. Again, just like when my wings had appeared, he kept a pace so that it wouldn't jostle me what so ever, and I sighed.

"Thank you Hiei." I mumbled, hiding my now red face slightly against his chest. His eyes flickered down to mine for a moment, before he shook his head. "Hn." He said. I closed my eyes and pulled myself closer to Hiei was we entered the portal, and I groaned in pain, as it seemed to put even more pressure against my head. And then the pressure was gone, and all that remained was the headache I had before I entered the portal. Not much of a good thing.

I gripped onto Hiei a little tighter, as Hiei walked up the stairs, me still in his arms. I wasn't jostled, not even a little bit. I glanced up at him and gave him a small smile. "I know you don't like me much, I can't say I like you either, but…how do you do that?" I asked him. His eyes flickered towards mine again, before back up. "Do what?" He asked. His voice seemed kind of detached. But I dismissed it. "When you carry me. It doesn't feel like I'm being carried. It just feels like I'm floating." I said. He shrugged before opening my bedroom door and walking towards the bed. "Probably because I'm not a stupid ningen." He said curtly, laying me down and throwing the blanket on top of me. I huffed and pulled them away before eyeing him. "I'm not human either, thank you very much." I said. He glared at me and walked towards the door. "Shut up and sleep." He muttered, before closing the door. I stared after him, and sighed as I layed back down, and fell asleep.

I had a feeling I was dreaming again. I was in my maiden form, so that was a big tip that I was dreaming, because I hadn't actually made it to my full maiden form yet. Though there weren't two of me, like there was when I first dreamed about this. I was currently sitting in a huge field of grass, and I was quite peaceful. But then I was flung out of my body, and there was suddenly two of me again. I sighed, but didn't say anything, because I knew it wasn't going to do me any good. The other me stood up, and began walking towards the entryway to a forest.

I followed it, though didn't remember telling myself to do so. But I dismissed it, because this happened in my last dream about me. So I simply followed, waiting for the other me to show me what was bound to happen. That was what I had made of the dream after I figured out what I was. And Koenma said it was quite possible since the sun was close to the stars, which meant I might also have premonitions. So maybe this was a premonition, or maybe not. Regardless, I let my other self wander off.

She reached a little clearing, though she seemed to have turned frantic. Her breathing increased, and came in shallow breaths, and she was trembling. I didn't understand what was going on, and I watched her, curiously. "N-no!" She cried out, her voice breaking. She was actually crying, and she had a hand over her mouth. "No!" She screamed louder, regaining her breath as she ran towards the other side of the clearing. There, lying under the covers of a willow was Hiei.

I blinked in surprise, and rushed over to where he was and gasped when I got closer. He was bleeding profusely from a wound in his stomach, where his katana was protruding. He was also pretty badly beaten, and his clothes were almost completely shredded. I frowned slightly, when I realized that this was just a dream. Hiei wasn't really hurt, so I gave a sigh and relaxed a bit, and watched as my other self knelt down next to Hiei. What happened next scared the hell out of me.

She was still crying, as she knelt down next to him, and put her arm around his neck. Hiei squirmed a bit, before gasping in pain, and resting against my other self. "No, no, no! Hiei, no! Why!?" She asked him, begging for an answer. He looked up at her, with a look that Ayumi's never seen before, and her eyes widened. "I wasn't about to let him harm you…onna." He said very softly, very tenderly, as he reached his hand up and cupped the side of her face. Her eyes closed and she continued to cry, and she laid her face against his.

"I don't know if I can stop this bleeding!" She cried out in agony, and I winced as her face twisted with a pain that I myself have never known before. Hiei coughed for a moment, before regaining his shaky breath and he smirked up at her. "Well first, I suggest you pull it out." He said calmly. Her eyes widened as she glanced down at him. "And you call me a baka! That's how people die from sword wounds, because they pull them out!" She said, sighing in frustration. "Ayumi. I'm a demon; the demon blood in me will help you. But you can't do anything with it in my stomach. Besides…it hurts." He said, his face contorting with pain as he attempted to sit up a little more. "Do not move stupid!" Ayumi said each word with clenched teeth. He sighed, and rested back against her.

She steadied her breathing and closed her eyes. "This is going to hurt, Hiei." She said quietly. "It's been days since I've seen your eyes Ayumi. Please stop closing them." He whispered quietly. My eyes widened even further at the tone Hiei was using. It almost had me blushing right there. My mouth dropped and I couldn't help but ask what the hell was going on.

My other self's eyes snapped open as she gazed into Hiei's crimson ones. She gave him a soft smile and said, "I know what you mean…" she trailed off, and let her eyes fall down to his wound. "Just be quick about it. The slower you go, the more it will hurt." He said quietly. She looked back up at him, and it seemed as if they stared at each other for hours. Hiei reached his hand up, and placed it back on her face, and pulled her to him.

I gasped, and almost fell backwards, as my other self moved in towards Hiei. He kissed her softly at first, and sighed in content when she deepened the kiss. I myself was trying not to have a heart attack. This couldn't be a premonition, but it wasn't, that meant I was dreaming that this was happening. And that wasn't an option either. So I sat back and just gaped at the two of them. She pulled back and stared at him one more time, before placing her lips on his. "I'm sorry." She mumbled against his, and gripped the hilt of his katana, and pulled it out in once swift motion. Hiei gasped out in pain, as he closed his eyes, and the other me shut hers too for just a moment, before opening them.

She threw the katana aside and placed her hands over his stomach. A light surrounded her, as she seemed to be pushing that warmth into him directly. He began to relax a little as she healed him, and sighed in content when he was no longer in pain. "Thanks. You're not completely useless." He said jokingly. The other me glared at him, before smiling. "Hiei, you are never allowed to do this again. I don't care what's happening to me." She said, her eyes turning into that pain again. I couldn't understand this, and I suddenly very much wished that I were awake.

"And sit idly by while you get hurt? I don't think so." He said calmly and surely. Though even he couldn't have guessed what came from her next, and not only did it shock me, it shocked him too. "I'd rather be dead than live without you…" She said very quietly, almost in a whisper. He was staring dead at her, before he grabbed her face and pulled it towards his.

That's when I woke up.


	14. Dirty Little Secret

_**Disclaimer:**_ Rowling has all rights over the Harry Potter series. Anything read in here about the change in ideas are just purely fanfiction. Got it? Which means, Rowling wasn't really influenced by the Rekai to create some of the situations in Harry Potter! Lol. Just wanted to make that clear before we begin.

_**Tremble For My Beloved**_

::Chapter Fourteen; Dirty Little Secret::

I woke up with a start, and I immediately placed a hand over my heart, to hear it thrumming wildly underneath. I closed my eyes for a moment, and let my dream run through my head. My eyes snapped open as I begun to panic. "Okay Ayumi. There are two options here. Your first choice is that it was just a dream, but I don't want that to happen, because I don't like Hiei like that, at all! So then…my other option is that was a premonition. In which case, that's kind of scary. Ugh!" I exclaimed, flinging myself off the bed. I needed to talk to Yusuke.

I opened my bedroom door, and looked around, I hadn't thought to check the time but I assumed it was around 1 or 2 in the morning. I moved to Yusuke's door and raised my hand to knock, but something stopped me. I definitely needed to tell Yusuke, but first, I really had to figure out a way to keep this from Hiei. My eyes opened in horror as I thought of the telepathic fire yokai. He was going to see everything!

Ayumi shook her head and calmed herself, before turning around and walking to Kurama's bedroom. She knocked lightly, and smiled when he opened the door. "I thought I heard you moving around." He said politely. He was wearing gray baggy pajama pants, and a white t-shirt. I smiled; glad I didn't interrupt his sleeping. "May I come in? I need to talk to you." I asked quietly. He nodded, and opened his door wider, allowing me access. "Of course." He said, letting me in and shutting the door quietly. I walked over and sat cross-legged on his bed and sighed, patting the space next to me.

Kurama chuckled and sat next to me, and we sat in silence for a few moments, before Kurama finally asked, "What's on your mind?" I took a deep breath and looked at him. "I think I just had another premonition." I said quietly. Kurama's eyes widened slightly, and he then smiled. "Really? That's good. That means Koenma's hunch was right." He said. I nodded. "Yeah, that's real dandy and all, but the premonition I just had…just kind of scared the crap out of me." I told him. Kurama gave me a look before placing a hand on my shoulder. "Was it bad?" He asked. I thought about that for a moment, and then shook my head. "Not exactly. It was just so weird. You see, it was Hiei…and he was hurt." I began slowly. Kurama tensed next to me. "Did he die?" He asked in a whisper. I shook my head, "No. He didn't. Thanks to me." I said. Kurama breathed out a sigh of relief. "Sorry, I've had dealings with people who gave out premonitions. They're never wrong, so don't scare me like that, please." He said, light humor in his voice. I gave him a small smile and nodded. "Sorry." I said.

"No problem at all. Continue." He said. I took a deep breath again, and told him the whole story. When I finished, Kurama was very still and was staring wide eyed at me. "That was exactly my reaction! I have no idea where that even came from! And if it's a premonition…that means it's actually going to happen." I said. Kurama seemed to be a statue for a moment, before let out a breath. "Wow. I would have never guessed Hiei would ever…" He said, trailing off. He then let out a smile. "Well, you guys would be awfully cute together." He said. My eyes widened as I smacked him in the shoulder.

"The word cute and together does not fit in our vocabulary!" I muttered. Kurama chuckled and ruffled my hair. "There's not really much you can do Ayumi. If it's a premonition, it's going to happen." Kurama said. I sighed, and let my face fall into my hands. "Well that just sucks!" I yelled, bringing my knees to my chest.

"I'm sorry. This isn't exactly going your way, is it?" He asked. I shook my head. "No. And what's worse, I have no idea how to keep Hiei from knowing." I mumbled. Kurama gasped next to me, as that seemed to shock him. "That's right. Oh…that's…not going to end well." Kurama said quietly. I nodded at him and sighed. "I know. I was hoping you knew a way to keep Hiei from reading that information." I said desperately. Kurama let out a sigh and thought for a moment.

"There may be one way. But you have to see Koenma. Now." He said. "Right. I can do that." I said, not pleased that I had to tell yet another person. It was then that I noticed, that I wasn't wearing what I was wearing earlier. I gasped and looked up at Kurama. I was no in black short cotton shorts, and a green tank top. "Who changed me?" I asked. Kurama chuckled. "Yusuke did." He said. I breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh. Okay." I said grinning, and standing up. "Will you go with me?" I asked. He nodded. "Of course." "Good. But, I have to get Yusuke first. Wait here, I'll be back in a few minutes." I said, going to leave his room to go to Yusuke's. Kurama nodded, and simply crossed his leg over the other and sat. I smiled and left the room.

It didn't take long for me to wake Yusuke up. And I didn't realize I was crying until Yusuke shook my shoulders and begged me to tell him what happened. I moved into his arms, and sat there for a minute while he hugged me. Once I calmed my breathing down, I told him the story, and then told him what Kurama and I were up to. "Holy hell Ayumi. You sure can pick them!" Yusuke said. I groaned and smacked my head against his chest. "But I didn't pick him! As far as I was concerned, Hiei and I were always at an impasse!" I said, sighing. Yusuke hugged me again before kissing my forehead.

"Look, this is your future. If you really don't want that to happen, then don't let it." He said sternly. I looked up at him and sighed, hoping it was that easy. "Come on, Kurama's waiting." I said quietly, standing up. I hauled Yusuke to his feet, and grinned when he stumbled around. "Sorry kid, I'm still asleep." He mumbled. I shook my head and grinned. "It's okay." I said, turning to leave his room, with him in tow. He was wearing something like what Kurama was wearing, only his pants were just green and he wasn't wearing a shirt.

I dragged him to Kurama's room, and knocked softly. Kurama opened the door and smiled. "Good morning Yusuke." He said. Yusuke rolled his eyes and tried not to gag. "If I didn't love Ayumi so much, I'd kill her." He said jokingly. I rolled my eyes and smiled as Kurama led us down the stairs, and into the living room.

"Koenma. Portal." Kurama said quietly. The portal appeared and I stared at it warily. "My head still kind of hurts." I said quietly. Yusuke grinned and picked me up bridal style. "No worries. Mine's gone, and I feel a lot better. So come on." He said, walking into the portal. I squeezed my eyes shut as the familiar pressure closed in around me, and then sighed in relief when the pressure was released. Kurama followed a second after.

"Hello you guys. What can I do for you at this hour?" Koenma asked, shuffling through some papers. "Well, for starters, Yusuke and Ayumi are feeling much better, and I'm willing to bet Kuwabara is good too." Kurama said. Koenma looked up for a moment and smiled, before turning back to his work. "That's excellent. I'm still looking for a lead on what could have happened, I might just have something…but I won't have anything concrete until later. Anyways, anything else?" He asked. Kurama sighed and looked over at me.

"Well, Ayumi had another premonition." Kurama said. That caught Koenma's attention. His head snapped up as he stared at me. "Really? And what happened?" He asked, smiling. I took a deep breath and said, "It's not like…anything important really. It was just weird." Koenma nodded. "Not every premonition is about the apocalypse. Now, what happened?" He asked, waving his hand as three comfy chairs appeared. I sat in one gratefully as Yusuke and Kurama did the same. I told him my premonition, every detail, and then flinched at his face when I finished.

His eyes were wide, and he seemed to be holding his breath. "You mean…you and Hiei?" He asked. I nodded. "Koenma, I don't know what to do! I don't want Hiei hurt like that, of course not, but I don't want what happened to happen! And I definitely don't want that stupid mind reader reading that, either!" I said. Koenma nodded. "Yes, I can see how that would cause problems." He said. He looked back up at me with a screwed up face. "I cannot believe Hiei would ever act like that. That's so…not him." He said quietly, before shrugging.

"Trust me, you don't have to convince me. Now, can you help?" I asked wearily. He thought for a moment, before standing up. "Maybe. This is a pretty old device, but I'm hoping it will work." He said, before turning and walking through a door. He stopped in the entryway, "I may be a few minutes." He said and continued walking. I sighed and sat back in the chair, rubbing my temples. "This sucks! What am I going to do?" I asked Yusuke. He started rubbing my shoulders and sighed. "I wish I knew. I still believe that since you've seen it coming, you can alter it. And from the sounds of it, Hiei got hurt because of your relationship with him. So that would solve both problems." Yusuke suggested.

"The problem is, I don't believe you can just change your mind about things like that. You know first hand how a premonition demon is, and not only that, but I've had my own run ins with premonition demons. They've never been wrong, even if they've wanted to change it, they couldn't." Kurama said. I groaned. "So you're telling me that Hiei and I are going to become all fuzzy with each other no matter what I do?" I asked. Kurama made a slight face before composing his features again. "Not exactly. The relationship is one thing…maybe you can stop that. If you notice anything changing, stop whatever it is that you're doing." Kurama said.

I made a face and glanced at my hands. "I sound horrible. It's not there's anything wrong with Hiei…it's just…" I started, before realizing that I sounded ridiculous. "Ugh! He's not even here and I'm feeling guilty!" I yelled, smacking my hand against my forehead, which didn't help my headache. That earned an apologetic look from Yusuke and Kurama, before Koenma walked back in the room.

"Okay, I found it." He said, walking back around the desk, holding a chalice looking bowl. I glanced inside of it, and it looked like there was water in it. "You found a bowl of water?" I asked skeptically. Koenma glared at me before sighing. "No. Goofball. Shut up and listen." He said sternly, sitting down. I gave him a weak smile and nodded, and crossed my legs.

"This is going to sound stupid, but in the Ningenkai, there is a series called, 'Harry Potter', I believe?" Koenma asked. I blinked before raising an eyebrow at him. "Yeah. What does that have to do with this?" I asked. "Well some of the ideas in that series came from what really happens in the Rekai. Now, when I say that I mean VERY few ideas, but still. There is one in particular, that couldn't be possible without spirit energy, because it doesn't require the 'magic' in that series." Koenma explained, gesturing his hands towards the bowl. I stared at it, before my eyes widened. "The pensive?" I asked. Koenma nodded. "Correct. Though the pensive in Harry Potter holds memories, this one holds dreams or premonitions. When you place the dream or premonition in the pensive, it disappears from your head. Not completely, you still know about it, but it's not on your mind unless it's specifically brought up." Koenma said. I stared at it, before grinning.

"So if I decide to stick my head in there, will I fall into other peoples dreams like Harry did?" I asked, almost laughing. Yusuke snickered next to me as Kurama shook his head. Koenma looked slightly amused, but then returned to business. "No. Don't be a goofball. Now, how this works is fairly simple. You concentrate on the premonition, have one finger in the water and one finger against your temple. Then, you simply tug it out of your head, and it'll travel down your arm and into the pensive. It'll stay here unless taken out. Okay?" He asked, serious now.

I nodded and stood up, feeling kind of foolish. I wasn't Harry Potter, after all. But I shook off that thought, and stuck my right finger in the water, and my left against my temple. I concentrated hard on the premonition, and when I felt that I had the right hold of it, I tugged. It came easily, in a silver string; much like in Harry Potter, after a few seconds, Koenma pulled my hand out of the pensive, and slid the lid on top.

"There." He said smiling. I grinned and looked around. "So, why am I here again?" I asked, looking around. Yusuke grinned. "Perfect!" He said. "What is?" I asked. "To get her to remember the premonition exactly, just say pensive." Koenma said. I fell back onto my heels as the memory entered my head. "Oh! It worked! But now I remember…" I said. Koenma smiled. "And, to make it go away again, just say memory." He said, I stumbled on my feet again and I looked around.

"So. I'm here, and so is everyone else. Why?" I asked. "Pensive." Koenma said. I stumbled. "Jeez. That's going to get annoying." I said laughing. Koenma smiled. "It'll work though. Now, get her back into bed and back to sleep, pretend like you're just about to wake her up for breakfast. And then say the words." He said, opening a portal. I grinned and ran over to him, giving him a quick hug. "Thanks!" I yelled, before following Yusuke and Kurama in the portal.

They took me upstairs and laid me in my bed, and I fell asleep immediately. "Memory." Yusuke said. My body jerked as the premonition left me, and I slept soundly. "Alright then. Time for breakfast?" Yusuke asked Kurama, looking at the clock. It was almost seven. "Of course. I'll start cooking, wake her up." Kurama said smiling, heading downstairs. Yusuke grinned. "Got it! Oh Ayumi!" He yelled, jumping on the bed. Kurama heard a loud 'thud' and an, "OW! YOU ASS!" followed by a lot of laughing.

Kurama chuckled and went into the kitchen, where Hiei was already sitting, dressed. "You're the only one dressed at seven in the morning, Hiei." Kurama said, pulling out a pan. "Sorry I'm not as lazy as you guys are." He said curtly, sitting down. Kurama smiled and turned his back to his friend, starting up the stove.

"You know, you guys really shouldn't have even bothered going to Koenma's." Hiei said quietly. Kurama froze and turned around slowly, giving Hiei a wary look. He didn't look upset; he didn't look like anything actually. He looked normal. "Oh? And why's that?" Kurama asked.

"Because I had the same dream." Hiei said.


	15. Majoring In Minors

_**Tremble For My Beloved**_

::Chapter Fifteen; Majoring In Minors::

Kurama stared at Hiei, completely shocked. "What do you mean you had the same dream?" He asked cautiously. Hiei looked down, and then back up at Kurama; whose eyes were puzzled. "I knew something was up because I could hear that onna leave her room and go to yours, but I couldn't actually wake up. And then I started dreaming. And from what I heard the onna tell you, it was the same exact thing. It happened as she said it…" Hiei said, trailing off. Kurama was staring at him, wide eyed.

"I thought it was weird that you weren't at my window." He said. Hiei nodded and leaned back against the counter. "It's not going to happen." He said quickly. Kurama glanced towards Hiei. "You don't think so?" He asked. Hiei's puzzled look quickly turned into a glare. "I know so. Premonition or not, it's not going to happen." He said heatedly. Kurama shrugged and turned his back, so he could continue cooking. "Say what you want, but you won't hear me going against a premonition demon." He said gently. Hiei growled and shoved his hands into his pockets, though didn't say anything.

"So what are you going to do, currently?" Kurama asked absentmindedly. "Fox, you're getting on my nerves. I'm not going to do anything. Let her and the buffoon think I don't know what's going on, let them think their little plan worked." He said harshly, before sitting down at the table. Kurama gave Hiei a look, and Hiei glared back at him. "If you say anything I'll slit your throat." He said dangerously. Kurama stopped what he was doing and turned to glare at his friend. "If you're upset, fine, be upset. You have every reason to be, though you do need to understand it's not as if Ayumi asked for it either, any of this. But you aren't going to threaten me Hiei, Yoko is plenty capable of taking you down. Remember that." He said, in a dangerous tone he hadn't used in a long time. A flame flared up inside of Hiei's chest as his friend challenged him. He closed his eyes and smirked, calming down.

"Hn. We'll see." He said quietly, as they finally heard Yusuke bringing a stumbling Ayumi and Kuwabara down the stairs. "Jeez. You guys are like luggage!" He said, throwing them in the kitchen. Kuwabara slouched in his seat as soon as he sat down, and Ayumi laid her head against the table, wanting to go back to sleep.

"It's like I just fell asleep! Why am I so tired?" I asked, groaning. I had a headache, and I felt so sleepy. "I'm not sure. I'm still sluggish too, though I'm managing to keep myself upright better than you can, slacker, but it's probably because of what happened yesterday." Yusuke said smiling. I shrugged. "Whatever. I don't care." I mumbled, yawning. Kurama smiled as he placed sausage and hash browns on everybody's plates, and brought everyone their drinks as well.

"Mm. Kurama, this is amazing! Has anybody ever told you that you're a good cook?" I asked smiling. Kurama smiled back and nodded. "Yes, I've heard that before." He said chuckling, and began eating as well. "So what are we doing today?" I asked nobody in particular, though I figured it was probably training, so I was a little surprised with Yusuke's response. "Actually, Koenma wants to see us later. We have a mission to go on, Ayumi, this will be your first." He said smiling. I stopped mid bite and glanced up at him. "Mission? Oh! Seriously! Holy crap!" I yelled, dropping my fork back onto my plate.

Yusuke gave me an odd look. "You don't have to freak out. It's not that big of a deal. We're just going to arrest somebody, and bring him or her back to Koenma. Though he'll brief us on it whenever he's ready. Chillax." Yusuke said. I looked at him, and then at Kuwabara and Kurama, who were smiling encouraging smiles. Hiei was ignoring everybody. I took a deep breath and smiled as well. "Okay. Sorry, you just kind of randomly sprung that on me. I'm gonna go work with my gym stuff!" I said, standing up and leaving the kitchen, taking the stairs two at a time.

I wasn't going to change out of my shorts and tank top, because they were rather comfortable, and easy to move in, though I was pissed because I had to keep putting holes in my shorts so my tail could fit through. I rolled my eyes at it, as it curled around my waist, and I walked into my room. I stretched, before beginning to work out. I always started with the balance beam first. My workout wasn't long, but it was enough so that I needed to shower.

I got out and debated on what to wear. I knew I was probably making a big deal out of this, but I had never done this before, and I wasn't about to slip up because I couldn't move around in my attire. I pulled on a pair of black baggy jeans and a black tank top, so my wings were free. I pulled my hair up into a ponytail, and tucked the loose strands behind my ears. Though there wasn't much I could do about the bangs. I smiled at myself, before pulling on a pair of black stealth boots. I had gotten them not long after arriving here, and I liked them.

A random song popped into my head then, and I gladly started singing on my way downstairs. "We must be swift as the coursing river, with all the force of a great typhoon, with all the strength of a raging fire, mysterious as the dark side of the moon!" I sang, hopping down the last step. Yusuke greeted me there, laughing at me. "What is it with you and Disney songs?" He asked. I shrugged. "I don't know. I love Disney songs." I said, not caring about the fact that they were supposed to be for kids. "And if you got a problem with it, you can bite me." I said smiling. Yusuke shook his head and laughed at me.

"So, are you all ready now Miss Tomb Raider?" Yusuke asked. I gave him a look before grinning. "Sorry, I'm kind of nervous! Bite me!" I said, growling. Yusuke shrugged. "Try not to worry about it. For your first mission, I don't think it's gonna be that strenuous. And if it was really dangerous, Koenma wouldn't send you." Yusuke explained, leading me to the living room where everyone else was waiting, dressed, and ready to go.

We sat in silence for a few minutes before the portal finally appeared. We walked through and found Koenma standing up, waiting for us on the other side. "I'm sure Yusuke has told you the topic of the mission." Koenma started, glancing at Yusuke. "You are to go into the Makai, to a place called Shimi Tower, and arrest, as you can probably guess by now, Shimi." Koenma finished. "I want her back here alive, as for any of the lesser demons that will try and stop you, kill them if you wish. I really don't care. But Shimi may become a potential threat if she stars working with a guy named Tsuki. And I'll tell you about him later, so, on your way. If you need anything, you have your communicators." Koenma said, waving his hand as another portal appeared.

I followed the other boys in, and gasped when I saw the Makai. For one thing, it smelt really bad. For another, it looked almost abandoned. Not at all what I expected, but at the same time, I couldn't imagine a better fit. I shook my head to clear it, and followed the guys through a thick forest. The walk there was supposed to take three days, and I wasn't looking forward to that, but I figured it was necessary since we didn't want to get caught.

We hiked in silence, Hiei leading the group, Kurama and Kuwabara not far behind him, and then Yusuke and I rounding up the back. I wasn't quite sure what to do on the hike, and that was bugging me. I didn't want silence, and yet I knew everybody was too much on edge to want to chat the whole way there. I decided I would just kind of keep things in the middle.

"So, how exactly does this work?" I asked Yusuke, shoving my hands in my pockets. Yusuke looked over at me and grinned. "I wouldn't worry about it too much, to be honest with you. Lesser demons are really easy to kill. It'd be like fighting the stupid punks at our schools." Yusuke said. I gaped at him. "Really? That easy?" I asked, taken a bit by how cocky I sounded. I frowned at myself, before realizing that it was true. I wasn't being over confidant, but if these 'lesser' demons were that easy; this wasn't going to be a hard mission.

"The only thing I'm really worried about is killing them. I'm not exactly a killing machine." I said solemnly, looking at the ground. Yusuke nudged my arm and gave me a smile. "I wouldn't worry about it too much, try to think of it as this way, it's you or them." He said. I thought about that for a moment, before realizing that I'd definitely rather it'd be me. I sighed and shoved my hands deeper in my pocket, my wings curling around me instinctively.

I wasn't sure how long we walked, but it was longer than I cared for. Halfway through, I had to switch to flying, which I didn't mind one bit. I was ahead of Kurama and Kuwabara now, but I was still behind Hiei. I didn't know where I was going, after all. I wasn't sure if I should start up a conversation with Hiei or not. There was a block in my memory, I could feel it, I just couldn't place what it was. But something had changed, in the way I saw Hiei, and I wasn't sure how to address it.

"You don't like talking to the others." I said, as a statement, rather than a question. Hiei glanced at me for a split second, before looking forward again. "I thought I made that perfectly clear." He said curtly. I frowned at him, but didn't back off, I wanted to talk to him. "You really hate being a detective, then?" I asked, honestly curious. He didn't look at me, and I thought he wasn't going to answer, though he finally said, "No. I'm forced to be a detective. If I wasn't, this would be my home." He said, motioning with his eyes the forest around us. I gaped at him.

"You'd like living here?" I asked, scrunching up my nose. He smirked and had an amused look in his eyes. "This is my home." He said. I cocked my head at him, and flew a little faster to catch up with him. We were now side by side, and I gazed around me. "I cannot see how anybody would want to live here." I said, shrugging my shoulders. "That's because you haven't ever lived here." Hiei said, staring around. I glanced at him, and realized in amusement, that he really did like it here. Though why shouldn't he? He had probably been here all his life; of course he'd like it. "It stinks." I said curtly. He smirked again.

"That's because you're a sun maiden. Almost everything in the Makai is dead or rotting." He said. I almost laughed, but I managed to stifle it. "So that's why you like it here. It matches your personality, perfectly." I said. Hiei gave me a quick glare, before looking forward again. "Hn." He said, withdrawing. I raised an eyebrow at him. "That's right, I forgot, you don't like joking." I said. Hiei didn't answer. "Well, that was better than nothing." I said, shrugging, and falling back to land next to Yusuke again.

"Did you have a nice chat?" He asked me. I gave him a look and shrugged. "Eh, it wasn't so bad. He's so withdrawn though, I wonder why he's like that." I thought out loud. '_None of your business.' _I heard his voice in my head. I glared at the back of his head, before sighing. _'No, it's none of my business. Yet here you are, invading somebody else's thoughts.' _I thought back. He didn't answer back.

"You know, Yusuke, I really don't like hypocrites." I told him. Yusuke eyed me for a moment, before laughing. "I know that. I don't either." He said. I grumbled, and hoped he heard that. I shrugged it off though, when everyone began to slow down when we reached a little clearing. Kurama turned to us and smiled. "Alright, we set up camp here. I hope you guys enjoyed today, we have two more days of it." He said, setting his gear on the ground. I groaned and sat down, officially pouting. I looked around, and noticed Hiei had gone into the trees, Kuwabara was near the forest, looking for firewood, and Yusuke was helping Kurama.

Something lunged out of the bush, knife in hand, heading straight for me.


	16. Circus

_**Tremble For My Beloved**_

::Chapter Sixteen; Circus::

My reflexes had gotten better than I thought was capable. Something had jumped out of the bushes, a brownish looking blur actually, yet I could see it moving towards me, as if it was surprisingly slow. It had a simple kunai knife, and he held it outwards, aiming towards my throat. I held my hand out, and sighed in content when the warmth spread down into my hands, and the sun gun coming in place. I pointed it at the demon, right in between his eyes, and pulled the trigger before he had time to blink.

His eyes widened when he realized I was faster, but that didn't stop the bullet from incinerating him. The gun disappeared, and Yusuke was next to me in a flash, cursing. "What the hell was that!?" Yusuke yelled out, clearly annoyed. I shrugged and looked at what was left of it and grinned. "Like I care? It was slower than molasses!" I said, feeling rather proud of myself. "Onna, don't get too cocky. This demon doesn't even have a rank, he's that weak." Hiei said, looking around more carefully now. I glanced at him, and then looked back at the demon, and still smiled to myself. "You can try to bring me down Hiei, but it's not gonna work! I just killed my first demon!" I yelled out, clearly happy.

Kurama shook his head and Kuwabara just look confused, though that didn't surprise me too much. Kurama had finished cooking and we ate in silence, Hiei eating his dinner up in a tree. We didn't talk much, though I figured it was because everybody was on alert, and we all took turns taking shifts to watch out for enemies. Finally, the three days were up, and I knew we were coming in too close to the enemy, because the boys all formed into a type of formation. Yusuke in the front, Hiei and Kuwabara at his flanks, and then Kurama and I behind them, but still behind Yusuke. I nodded appreciatively; it was a delicate formation, and a hard one to break.

Shimi tower wasn't a tower, it looked like a big castle, and it looked extremely intimidating. I attempted to calm myself as we crept towards the big castle. "Okay guys, so what's the exact plan?" I asked, looking around. "We storm the front gate, kill all the lesser scum, charge inside, arrest the bitch, and take her in for some hardcore jail time. Ready to roll?" Yusuke called back. I couldn't help but grin at his eagerness. Everybody was pumped up, including myself. "Of course!" I said, letting my nervousness melt away. The warmth spread through me now, and I was completely calm.

We moved out of the brush, and into the open field, where the smell of over a hundred demons were. I blinked at them, before trying to stop myself from laughing. They looked horrible, and they smelt really nasty too, but even I could tell how weak these demons were. I smirked, and I felt that maybe this would be an easy first mission.

It didn't long for them to spot us, and they all instantly began rushing towards us. There was a long stretch of barren wasteland, before the actual front gates stood, and that was fine with me. That gave us plenty of room to move around. We walked forward, as Yusuke finally took a fighting stance; I was a little worried about him being in the front, until I realized that Yusuke was the strongest guy out of all of us. I smiled at my little reassuring thought, and concentrated. They were close now, and Yusuke tensed, and yelled, "Now!"

We all jumped up into the air, and broke the formation, and spread out into different directions. Yusuke going straight, Kuwabara and Hiei going to the center right and left, and finally, Kurama and I taking the right and left. I did a long flip into the air, and landed in the center of a demon pool on my feet. I smirked as they lunged for me, and I dodged them easily. It was like they were moving in slow motion, and I loved it!

I fought with just my martial arts for a while, not really needing to use a weapon, but realized that I would tire myself out a lot quicker. I jumped into the air, and did a back flip, before landing in another pool of demons, this one not so littered by the dead bodies I just hacked up.

I held my hands up in the air, as two sun sais produced in them, and I grinned, wielding them expertly. _Thanks god for Hiei and his sword skills. _I thought to myself, only to grin when I got a _Thank you…now shut up and pay attention to what you're doing, _as a reply. I moved forward, and plunged my right sai in between the eyes of a demon, before pulling it back out and whipping my hand around, slashing three of their necks in half. I kicked both of my legs out in a split, kicking two in the face, then landing and slashing my right arm down, cutting one down the center, and using my left one to stab yet another. This was still too tiring. I furrowed my eyebrows in frustration, before flinging myself into the air.

My wings beat beautifully as I stared down at the damage, and found all my teammates. Kuwabara was having a little difficulty, but he was managing. The other three seemed to be fine, so I settled on a cluster of demons that nobody was paying any attention to, and begun to dive head first towards them. I stopped mid flight, and held my hands out, letting a huge ball of sunlit energy form in my hands, I then bounced it up and down in my hands, before grinning and throwing it like a softball. It connected, of course, and it blew up a good couple hundred of them. There wasn't many left now, and I decided to take on an aerial attack now. I felt warmth spread through me as I made two hand machine guns in both my hands. I grinned, and flew around, shooting at any demons that weren't being attacked by one of the boys.

Finally, Hiei did an uppercut and with a quick slash of his katana, the demon fell, cut into three pieces. I shook my head and landed, before grinning. "Well then, that was a lot of fun. Yusuke, this place stinks." I said, pouting. Yusuke grinned at me and eyed me for a moment, checking any signs of a wound on my body, before walking ahead, falling into formation again. "Shut up, it'll get better." He said cheekily, putting his hands behind his head.

We headed towards the front castle, and no problem getting in. The place was cold and damp, and there were cobwebs everywhere. The only place to go was up. So, up we went and the stairs seemed to climb on forever, until we finally reached an opening. On the other side of the little platform, was another set of stairs. We moved towards them, but were stopped once we reached the middle. A large stonewall came crashing down, and covered the other opening.

"Dammit!" Yusuke yelled, rushing over and trying to budge it open. "It's not going to move Yusuke, we must have to face some sort of challenge before we continue. This is a lot like Maze Castle." Kurama stated, looking around. The room had a sort of dome shape to it, and the walls were made out of stone, but other then that, it was completely bear. Nobody noticed Hiei slowly tensing up, since he was in the back.

We all heard him gasp, and turned around, to see that he had not only dropped his katana, but he was gripping his head too. His face was contorted in pain, and he fell to his knees. We all ran towards him and Kurama helped him sit up straight. But to no avail, Hiei started screaming. It was a blood curdling scream, and it almost hurt to listen to it, that, and watching Hiei scream in pain was not something I enjoyed watching.

I panicked, and leaned down, not sure of what to do. He was screaming louder, before he screamed out, "STOP IT! MAKE IT STOP!!!" He screamed, his hands clawing at his head. "Make what stop? We can't hear any-" Kurama stated, but then gasped. "It's inside his head! Something is making his telepathic abilities go haywire. This isn't good, he'll go insane." Kurama stated, beginning to panic as well. I stared down at Hiei, as he tried to bang his head against the floor. He was now writhing in pain, and blood started dripping out of his mouth. I then remembered the experiment that we tried, and I gasped, pulling Kurama away from him.

I sat down, and sat him up as best as I could, and I grabbed his hand. I held it there, and I hurried the warmth through me, and into him. It leaked into his whole entire body, making both of us glow, and suddenly I could hear what was going on in his head, but only for a split second, and it was enough to make me see black spots across my vision.

But then the voices went away, and it was just Hiei and I in total silence. Hiei was gasping out in pain, holding his head, trying to regain his senses, his hand still in mine though, and he panted. He coughed up blood, and his breathing was still hard. I frowned at him, and helped him sit up. Kurama knelt next to him, and placed a hand over his forehead, before pulling out an herb from his pocket. "Eat this." He said quietly. Hiei took it silently, and let it sit in his mouth, before swallowing it. His breathing calmed a bit, and he stared around at all of us, his eyes still kind of crazed.

"Hiei, what in the hell happened?" Yusuke asked. "I don't know…there were so many voices…all of them were screaming. All at once…there was so many, I couldn't block them out. It was so high pitched…" Hiei said, trailing off as he squeezed his eyes shut. "How do we get out of here?" He asked, trying to stand up. I helped him, but didn't let go of his hand. I wasn't letting go until we were out of this room. A voice came out of nowhere, and seemed to echo around the room. It was a female voice, and I could only guess that it belonged to Shimi.

"In order to pass, you must solve this riddle." The voice said, before disappearing. Upon the stone wall that had fallen, letters appeared. "I am extremely fragile. So fragile in fact, that I am broken the second you speak of me. What am I?" The words read.

Kurama stood up, a glare on his face as he read the words. He gave the top of the dome an evil look, something I wasn't accustomed at looking too. He then glared at the wall and barked out, "Silence." He said, and the wall crumbled to dust. We walked out of the room, and we sat down at the bottom of the next staircase, as Hiei regained his full bearing. He let go of my hand, and rubbed his temples. "Thanks." He muttered. "No problem." I said, sympathetically. "I only heard it for a split second and I almost passed out, I don't know you managed to deal with that." I said quietly. "Hn." He said gruffly. I left him alone though since he was probably tired.

There was a rumbling up ahead.


	17. Diary of Jane

_**Tremble For My Beloved**_

::Chapter Seventeen; Diary of Jane::

The whole tower shook, and for a moment, I was severely worried about it crumbling. I couldn't imagine what could be up there that would make something shake so much, but I figured we'd run into something troubling eventually. I looked over at Hiei, who looked to be in pain whenever a loud noise sounded, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. I sighed, and followed behind Yusuke up the spiral staircase, noticing how the stair case became narrow, and we were now single filed as we hauled our way upwards. This was not a good formation, what so ever. A single shot would take us all out. I sighed inwardly at my nervousness and paranoia, and shook my head to clear it.

It didn't take long to reach the top of the next open room from there, and we entered carefully. Another brick wall, like the one before, slammed down, preventing us from moving forward. This room shook more than the stairs did, and I almost lost my balance, Yusuke had to actually steady me. We looked up at the dorm shaped ceiling, and waited for something to happen, and stood in defensive stances as a small opening appeared in the ceiling. A black shadow seemed to fall out of it, like liquid, and fall to the floor. We jumped back, creating a circle around it, and took our fighting stances.

The thing moved around a moment, before taking a solid form as a man. His skin seemed to clear, leaving a tanned man with long blonde hair, set into a pony-tail at the nape of his neck. The man was well toned, and he held a sword on his hip, his stance was defensive as his hand was on the hilt of his sword, which looked to be a type of a caliber sword. He had cool gray eyes as he looked at each and every one of us, before speaking. His voice was unusually soft, and it gave me the chills. "If you wish to pass up to Miss Shimi, I'm afraid you're going to have to beat me first." Kuwabara stepped forward, his hand out as his spirit sword appeared. "You're going to fight me one at a time?" The man asked, clearly amused. I glared at him, and folded my arms, setting my chin high.

"No worries, you'll have your hands full with Kuwabara here. We don't need to gang up on you; Kuwabara alone is enough to take you down." I said harshly, feeling smug as I took in his insulted demeanor. "Think what you want, Ayumi. But I advise you to be careful; a Sun Maiden would be a very nice prize for Miss Shimi." He said, obviously still smug. I glared at him as Kuwabara spoke up. "Quit your yapping and fight me." He said, getting into stance. The man looked at him, before smiling and pulling out his sword. "As you wish." He said, getting into stance.

The two men moved towards each other, their swords clashing as they smashed into one another. The movement alone sent orange sparks flying from each sword, as they pulled apart, and moved towards each other again. The man was surprisingly fast, but Kuwabara seemed to be holding his own. Kuwabara shot forward, and the man dodged, slamming his fist into Kuwabara's stomach. He stumbled for a second, before regaining his balance and smirking at the man. "I take Urameshi's punch buddy, there's not a hit you can give that I can't take." He said, shooting forward again. I looked at Yusuke, who was grinning with his arms crossed, slightly shaking his head.

"Guys, how do you think this is going to turn out?" I asked, looking over at Kurama mostly, who was probably the best at figuring out statistics and probability. "Well, I can't say for sure. I don't know much of this guy's ability. But from the looks of it so far, I think Kuwabara will when, to what extent though, I'm not sure." He said. I nodded and looked back at the fight, then guys were pretty much sparring, so there wasn't much to really look at until one of them decided to go for a kill blow. And then Kuwabara did something I wasn't quite expecting.

He lunged forward, and faked a right before swinging his sword to the left, and not only that; he almost made his sword shoot forward, so the guy couldn't dodge it. It hit him square in the back and flung him forward. I blinked and cocked my head to the side as I stared at Kuwabara. "That was sneaky." I said, clearly amused. Yusuke didn't seem so amused though. He was staring at this guy, an odd expression on his face. "Hey buddy, you alright?" I asked, concerned. Yusuke took his eyes off the fight for a second to look at me. "I'm not sure. This guy just doesn't sit right with me I guess. He's hiding something." He said, shoving his hands in his pockets, and turning his head back to watch the fight again.

I couldn't help but frown and turn to look at him. He seemed oddly familiar, but something about him was definitely off, just as Yusuke said. The guy had dodged an attack from Kuwabara and spinned on his heels, only to suddenly place his palm on Kuwabara's back. His hand burst into flames, as he seared a whole into the back of Kuwabara's uniform, and sent him flying with a yell. I cringed at the noise, as Kuwabara stood back up, panting.

"Hey, that was a dirty trick!" Kuwabara said, standing back up and wincing at the pain his back. The man only smirked and said, "Well now, who said we were playing fair? Not everybody can be as noble as Koenma's spirit detectives." Kuwabara only glared at him, and spit onto the ground. "Shut your mouth! You don't know what you're talking about!" Kuwabara yelled, running forward to rush the man again. He only smirked and awaited his attack, and that's when I finally noticed something.

"Kuwabara! Don't touch him!" I screamed, as Kuwabara stopped inches from his face, missing on purpose and losing his balance. He fell to the floor, but quickly jumped back up and walked away from the guy. "What's wrong?" He asked, looking around. The man was still simply staring at him. "He's not real." I said, shaking my head. "Huh? What do you mean he's not real?" Kuwabara asked, clearly confused. "Kuwabara, I think Ayumi is right. Maybe you didn't notice because you were too busy fighting, but when you hit him, your sword seemed to have been absorbed into his skin, but didn't inflict any actual damage. I thought it was just my eye, but it seems as if he only pretended to feel pain. Ayumi's eye is quick." Kurama said sternly, walking forward.

"Well I physically touched him, so he's not a hologram." Kuwabara said, walking in a circle around the guy. Kurama looked up, and finally back at the man, still standing there and staring at Kuwabara. "What happens if we touch him?" Kurama asked me. I stared at the man intensely for a second, before watching the sun particles streaming through the air, and they ran right through him. Almost as if he was made out of hollow wood. "He's a puppet. Made out of a sort of wood, from what it looks like. I think he was meant to explode if he got hit a certain amount of times." I said, crossing my arms.

I shook my head lightly and touched my temples, wondering how I could even see that. I looked to each of my teammates, and gasped. "You guys! I can see right through you! Well, not through you…you know that warmth that's always in me now, because of the sun? Well, Koenma told me that everything was made out of dust particles, and when the sun hit them, I could see those particles. And I can see them in you guys." I said, cocking my head to the side again.

"Ayumi, your eyes are a fiery orange color." Kurama said, giving me a questioning look. I blinked and grinned at him. "Awesome! That means I'm halfway to my maiden form." I said, still smiling. Yusuke was still glaring at the man, and Kuwabara was trying to keep himself from poking it. I rolled my eyes, and looked at the brick wall, which now had words on it, like last time, it was a riddle.

'I've ran three points, but I'm afraid to go home, for there's a man in a mask waiting to take me out. What am I doing?' The riddle said. I frowned at it, and looked over at Kurama. He gave it one glance before shaking his head. "Easy. Baseball." He said, as the door crumbled to dust. We all clambered out of the room and up the stairs once again. I could tell Yusuke was getting annoyed, because he wasn't as talkative as he usually is. I frowned, but decided against saying anything, and followed him up. We reached yet another room, and Yusuke let out a frustrated sigh as the wall closed.

"Okay, I'm not playing games anymore. This is annoying." He said, standing in the middle room and looking up. He pointed his finger up, his hand in the shape of a gun. He let his rei collect at the end of his fingertip, and yelled, "SPIRIT GUN!" and releasing a powerful amount of rei. When the smoke cleared, there was a huge gaping hole in the ceiling. He then looked back at me, and smiled. "Ayumi, your wings are pretty strong, do you think you can carry us up?" He asked. I gaped at him, before narrowing my eyes. I looked at each of my teammates, and gave Yusuke a thorough cursing, before standing in the middle of the room with him.

"Alright, fatties, get on." I mumbled. Yusuke laughed, before taking a hold of my hand. Kurama took my other hand, while Hiei climbed up onto my back, an odd expression on his face as he positioned himself as to not get in the way of my wings. Kuwabara gave Yusuke a look, before cursing him too, and clinging to my waist and legs. I concentrated for a moment, before letting my wings beat against the air. There was no flight for a second, before I lifted off the ground. I felt the weight of the boys, and that instantly dragged me back down, but my wings beat faster and harder, and I was able to lift up into the air more properly.

I positioned my body the best I could, and let all of my power and warmth spread to my wings, which sped me up. Soon, we were passing through the opening that Yusuke created, and I was gaining speed. I flew easily now, but not sure how long I could keep it up, before we reached another wall. This must be the floor to another dorm, and I was afraid of slowing down.

"A little help guys." I whispered. Kurama reached into his hair with his free hand, and pulled out a rose that instantly turned into his whip, he then stretched it outwards, and let its roots seep into the ground, before giving it a hard yank. There were not cracks in the wall, and Hiei leapt up into the air, before giving the ground a hard kick, and falling back onto my back. I was suddenly very thankful that not only was Hiei the lightest, but that he was extremely good a keeping his weight balanced, otherwise that probably would have hurt.

I created the shield of light around us, as the little bits and pieces of stone fell around us, and made it through the opening. I pushed forward, and glanced up at the glass top of the dome. Yusuke raised his fist again, and shot his rei gun, and up we went. Kuwabara was thankfully concentrating on keeping his own weight balanced, and wasn't making any snide comments. Another ground piece coming up and I rolled my eyes, getting annoyed as well. Kurama and Hiei made a repeat performance, before I finally realized that the top of this dome was made out of a stone, and I came to halt near the top. Down below us, in a dark room, was a woman.

She was a tall woman, with short black hair that reached just below her ears, and she had silver eyes that were narrowed into slits. All in all though, she wasn't very attractive looking. I glared down at her and grumbled incoherent threats, before looking at Yusuke. "You guys cheated. You were not supposed to come through here that way." She said, sounding annoyed. Yusuke simply shrugged at her. "Sorry lady, but we didn't come here to do things your way. You're under arrest." He said, eying me to bring us back towards the ground. I descended slowly, and relaxed as my feet hit the ground softly. The four boys were instantly positioned around me, and I crossed my arms and glared at the woman.

"If you honestly think I'll just give up and let you take me, you're sadly mistaken. However, I'll go easy on you if you just let me fight the Maiden." Shimi said, glaring straight at me. I felt something flare inside my stomach, and my eyes were immediately narrowing. "You're on." I said, stepping forward. Yusuke had his hand on my shoulder, and pulled me back though. "Now, why would you want to just fight her?" He asked, getting into a protective stance in front of me.

"Do you know how famous I'll be, in prison or not, if I manage to kill the only Sun Maiden?" Shimi asked, making it seem like it was the most obvious thing ever. Yusuke snorted, and looked over at me. "Do you want to do this?" He asked, giving me a look. I stared back at him for a moment, before smirking. "Yes, I do." I said. He gave me another look before shrugging. "Okay, go. But if you start losing, I'm jumping in. No ifs, ands, or buts. Got it?" He asked. I laughed and shook my head. "Yes mother. I got it." I said, moving forward. "Wish me luck guys?" I asked, giving the other three boys a look. Kurama and Kuwabara smiled and gave me thumbs up, Hiei only looked at me. "Remember, we're taking her into custody. Have fun." He finally said. I grinned cheekily and nodded. "Right." I said, moving forward.

I stood facing Shimi now, who was trying to circle me.


	18. Numb

_**Tremble For My Beloved**_

::Chapter Eighteen; Numb::

Shimi bared her fangs as she attempted to circle me, and I growled back, my own fangs bared. She backed herself into an open area, away from the hole that my team and I had created, and got into a fighting stance. "I'm not going easy on you." I said quietly. Shimi only smirked, and gave me a look before getting into her own stance. "You won't take me down." She said, crouching low. I narrowed my eyes, before rushing her. "I'll rip your throat out." I said, a growl emitting from my throat. I knew it was my wolf instincts kicking in, but I also knew they'd help me, so I let them guide me.

She attempted to side step me, but I looked closely as I noticed the sun particles in her body moved a split second before she did, and they gave me enough time to attack her. I moved to the right with her, and her eyes widened with surprise as she barely had time to jump back from the kick I swung at her. She landed on her feet and glared at me, before rushing me. She swung her left arm up, which I caught with my own left arm, and swung my right arm, hitting the side of her face with my forearm.

She stumbled backwards and growled at me, putting her arm up as it blazed with a flame. I narrowed my eyes as she shot out a fire ball. I flew up into the air and looked down, only to flip backwards because the fire ball was now following me. It was heat sensitive and I looked down at Shimi, who was smirking at me, and I smirked back. She gave me a look before I dived straight towards her, the fire ball was now right behind my feet, and when I reached Shimi, I simply flew upwards.

The ball didn't have any space to change direction, and it collided with Shimi's face, who screamed out in pain and stumbled back. She stood back up though, and looked up, a grim expression on her face. "My own attacks won't kill me, stupid." She shouted, before flinging herself at me. She grabbed my ankle, and threw me into the ground, and finally landed on top of me. She grabbed the back of my head, and started punching me in the face.

She got a few good hits in, before I growled and grabbed her hair, flinging her backwards. She yelled as she skidded against the ground, and I turned around, so that I was on all fours and bared my teeth again. I sprinted towards her, using my wings to give me an unexpected speed that she wasn't prepared for, and I slammed into her. She lay on her back as quickly stood up, and doing a handspring, I slammed my feet into her stomach. She yelled out as best as she could, clutching her stomach as she was now gasping for the breath that I had knocked out of her. I didn't stop there though.

I did it again and stood back up, before flying up into the air. I reached the ceiling and stared down, flipping myself upside down so that my feet were against the ceiling, and pushed off. Again, using my wings, I sprung myself back towards her body.

I slammed into her stomach with such force that her body created a crater in the ground, and again I sat up and started punching her repeatedly in the mouth. She was spitting up blood now, but I seemed to become more instinctive, and Shimi reeked of danger, and so I continued to pound her into the ground, until she found the strength to shove me off. I flew upwards, but held myself up in mid air with my wings. I glared down at her, and dove towards her, and a light of fire emitted from her hands.

The fire went from hand to hand, creating a wall, and I crashed into it. Instinctively, I flew away from it, and gasped out in pain. I then grabbed a hold of my arms with my hands, and let the warmth spread through me. It reached out to the fire, consuming it and turning it to dust in the air. I sighed at the relief of heat, and didn't notice Shimi speeding towards me. She slammed into me and I smacked into a stone wall, creating a huge crack in it. She held her hand out as a whip of fire appeared in her hand, and she began lashing it at me.

I screamed out in pain, as each whip left a fiery laceration mark across my torso, and I tried to focus on pulling my energy. I managed to pull in just enough through my right arm, and I slammed it out wards as my own Sun Cord fell from my wrist. I swung it and it caught around the fire whip, and for a moment it was a battle of strength. I was stronger than her, and flipped her backwards so she slammed into the wall above me, and fell to the ground. She slumped to the ground and didn't move as her eyes shut. That last attack must have knocked her unconscious. I moved forward, and then cursed as Shimi's eyes open and she flew at me.

I acted on reflex this time, and lashed my right arm out, which still held my whip, and watched as it turned into my Sun Gun on sight. I then pointed it straight at Shimi's face, which was now inches from mine, and pulled the trigger. She screamed out as the rei bullet entered her body through her face, and she fell to the floor; dead.

My heart was racing, and I held my hand over it to try and regain my senses. "Dammit Ayumi, we were suppose to take her in alive." Yusuke said, with a hint of humor in his voice. I laid my arm across my stomach and looked over at him, "My stomach hurts." I mumbled, and then fell backwards. A pair of arms caught me, but from the warmth, I could tell it was Hiei. "Her body's going into shock. She got hit directly too many times from that fire." Kurama said. Yusuke sighed angrily and went to pick Shimi up and looked around. "Koenma, portal!" He yelled out. A portal appeared and we all entered through it, I was mostly unconscious against Hiei as he carried me, and groaned when the pressure of the portal made my head hurt. I was really beginning to hate those things.

"I wanted her alive guys." Koenma said sternly, shuffling papers around on his desk. Yusuke shrugged his shoulders and dropped Shimi's body in front of him. "I'm tired, and I'm extremely annoyed. Get over it." He said, crossing his arms. I gave Yusuke a look before groaning. "What's wrong with Ayumi?" Koenma asked quietly, after giving Yusuke a look. "It was a fire whip. She got too many directs hit against her stomach." Kurama said, turning to lift my shirt up so Koenma could see my stomach. He saw the marks and grimaced. "Ouch. Take her to the infirmary please." He motioned to Hiei, who didn't say anything and just walked towards a door in Koenma's office.

I sighed and rested my head against Hiei's chest. "Thanks." I mumbled, getting annoyed at the fact that Hiei was always the one carrying me. "Hn. You fought fairly well today." He said. I looked up at him, bewildered. "Did you just compliment me Hiei?" I asked him, clearly amused. He glared down at me before smirking. "Shut up. Don't get use to it." He said, before opening the door to the infirmary. I rolled my eyes and grinned at him, and he sat me on the bed and moved over to the window so the doctors could tend to me.

I glanced over at him, and only mumbled a quick yes at the doctors who told me they were going to be putting something over my burns that would probably sting. I was still staring at Hiei, though I tried to be nonchalant about it. I couldn't quite understand why I was staring at him, and I frowned as I realized something was changing in me.

There was a sharp pain across my stomach and I glared at the doctor. "OW!" I yelled out, cursing at him.


	19. My Own Prison

_**Tremble For My Beloved**_

_**  
**__**::Chapter Nineteen; My Own Prison::**_

The doctors had wrapped my torso up nice and tight, and it was now difficult for me to breathe. I sat in my room, my arms folded over, thinking about the mission. I liked the first part, but my fight with Shimi wasn't how I thought it would be. I was definitely out of control, and I had to find some way to work around that. For now though, I was concentrating on getting my shirt over me, without pulling at the scabs on my stomach. I grimaced as I attempted to lift my arms up yet again, and groaned in protest when the skin stretched on my stomach. I glared angrily at the shirt before yelling out a rather loud curse, and throwing it across the room.

I sat on my bed and folded my arms, giving my room a thorough pouting face, before lying down on my back. My legs now dangled over the side of my bed, and I swung them back and forth as I waited for somebody to come check on me. I looked down and blushed as I really hope it was Yusuke who came up here to find me, considering how I was only in a bra.

I sighed in frustration and jumped a little when there was a knock at my door. I glanced at it before pulling myself up and walking over to it. I opened it just enough and peeked my head out, only to come face to face with the worse person ever; Hiei. I couldn't help but groan and bang my head against the door frame, and then cursed when I figured out that it hurt more than I thought it would. Hiei was now glaring at me, with a look of confusion on his face.

"Onna, what is your problem?" He asked, crossing his arms. I blushed and looked down, before glaring back up at him. "Well, I can't exactly lift my arms higher than mid stomach…" I started, but kind of trailed off as I shook my head. "And?" He asked, clearly annoyed. I narrowed my eyes at him. "And I'm having issues putting my shirt on…I need Yusuke." I said, my eyes going into slits as I dared him to say anything. He gave me an odd look, before glaring at me himself. "The detective isn't here. Neither is the fox. The only other person besides us is the baka ningen." I groaned and slammed my head into the door frame and growled. "Then why are you even up here in the first place?" I asked, clearly annoyed. "The baka told me to tell you that, he wants to play cards." He said, as if it was obvious.

"You actually listened to Kuwabara?" I asked, giving him a curious look. "Are you sick?" I asked, cocking my head to the side. He narrowed his eyes at me and grunted. "No. But I figured if you were keeping him busy he'd leave me alone." He said. I blinked a few times and then glared at him. "Gee, thanks. Well! Looks like you're screwed because I can't lift my arms up high enough to put my freaking shirt on." I said, giving him a 'haha' face. He didn't like that too much. He raised his arm and pushed my door completely open, and I fell backwards and landed on my bum. I looked up at him and growled. "UGH! What was THAT for!? Jerk!" I yelled, folding my arms and then realizing what I was wearing, and then blushed.

Hiei only stared at me for a second, before his eyes swept my room. He found the shirt I had thrown and walked over to it, picking it up. "This one?" He asked, looking back at me. I was still blushing as I looked up at him, and just nodded. He walked back over to me, and helped me back up, careful to mess with my stomach. Once he had me upright again, he placed the shirt over my head, and helped me pull my arms through it. Once the deep blue shirt was on me completely, I fixed it so the V wasn't crooked in the neckline and looked up to see that he was glaring at me again. "What!?" I asked, crossing my arms. "Next time, how about you try a button up shirt." He said, before turning on his heel and leaving. I stared after him, and then down at the floor, and started laughing.

He stopped only for a second and looked over at me. "What?" He asked, his voice was distant. "Nothing, I'm just stupid. But of course you already knew that. Anyways, thank you." I said, shutting my door and strolling down the hallway, refusing to look at him. Hiei was staring after me for a minute before he shook his head. "I didn't say you were stupid." He muttered, and walked towards his room. I turned to look at him. "What did you say?" I asked, cocking my head to the side. He glared at me. "Nothing, Onna." He said, shutting his door.

I glared at him, before turning to walk down the stairs. I wondered for a moment about what he had said, but I shrugged it off, figuring it was just another insult. I walked downstairs and saw Kuwabara lying on the couch, lazily. I gave him smile and sat next to him. "So, you want me to play cards with you?" I asked curiously. He grinned and pulled out a deck of cards, pulling them out and beginning to shuffle. "Yeah, I was thinking Rummy 500." He said thoughtfully, laying the cards out on the coffee table. I eyed him before grinning. "You're so gonna lose!" I yelled, sitting down on the floor. Kuwabara smiled at me before shaking his head. "Keep telling yourself that, loser!" He yelled, and finished shuffling.

We played for quite a few hours, and for now, we were tied. I looked up at the clock and frowned, it was way past lunch time. Where were Yusuke and Kurama? I sighed and placed my cards down on the table and smiled. "Okay, I'm done for today, but we'll play again some other time, since we're tied." I said. Kuwabara smiled and grinned, giving me thumbs up and sprawling himself out on the couch. "You lazy bum." I mumbled, giving him a playful glare. "Shut up!" He told me, crossing his arms. I laughed and messed up his hair before crossing my arms. "Hey, do you know what Yusuke and Kurama are doing for Koenma?" I asked, sitting on the arm of the couch.

"Nope. They left early this morning, so your guess is as good as mine." He said thoughtfully. I glared at him and laughed. "Well thanks, useless." I said, standing up and turning towards the stairs. "I'm going to go ask Hiei what he wants for lunch. What do you want?" I asked, stopping at the base of the stairs. "I was thinking some Chinese!" He said, giving me a playful puppy look. I rolled my eyes and laughed at him. "We'll see if Mr. Grumpy Gills is up for it." I muttered, before heading up the stairs to his bedroom.

I stood outside his bedroom door and knocked lightly, but didn't get an answer. I glared at the door, before shrugging and letting myself in. The second I opened his door, his scent was everywhere and it was quite intoxicating. He smelt of ashes and burning wood, and it smelt really good. I shook my head to clear it, and walked in. His room was extremely interesting, and totally like Hiei. The walls were a dark color, almost black, and on one wall there was nothing but swords, every type you could think of. I stared at them for a minute, and looked at the rest of the room. The carpet was a deep red color, and it was really soft. There was a large window with a window seat, and the window was open. There was a bed to the left of that, it was huge, and it had black and red bedding. His other wall held two doors, in between them was a deep mahogany colored dresser. All in all, the room fit him.

I walked over to the window and peered out, and couldn't help but roll my eyes when I saw Hiei on the training field, training. I turned around and left quickly, shutting the door behind me and walking outside. I walked to the training ring and sat down, and waited for him to notice me. At first I thought he was ignoring me on purpose, but eventually he stopped and turned to me. "What do you want?" He asked, stretching out his right arm. "You can't honestly tell me that you're not hungry." I said smiling. He gave me a look and turned around. "Hn." He said.

I grinned at him and laughed. "Exactly. So, Kuwabara and I were thinking we'd head into town and get some Chinese, since Kurama isn't here." I said. Hiei eyed me for a second, standing completely still. "You were in my room." He said quietly, turning to glare at me. I gave him a look before pointing and laughing at him. "Well duh, I had to ask you if you wanted to come with us. And you didn't answer, all I did was open the door and walk across to the look out of the window." I said smiling. Hiei continued to glare at me, but I shrugged it off. "Anyways, I know you're hungry. So go get your stinky self in the shower, and let's go." I said, standing up and turning away.

Hiei stared after me for a moment, his face holding no expression, before grunting and following me into the house. He zipped upstairs and I followed suit, going into my own room to change. I stopped at the top of the stairs and looked at the now sleeping Kuwabara. "Baka! Get up and get ready, we're going to get some Chinese!" I yelled, turning to go into my room. I heard him grumble and move around, but finally walked up the stairs himself. I sighed and walked over to my closet, opening it. I was going to take Hiei's advice and wear a button up shirt, which would make putting it on a lot easier for me.

I pulled on my black knee length tights, and then a pair of dark blue jeans that had some serious holes in them. I then pulled on my black belt with a large A on the buckle that was sparkly. I then pulled my shirt off, with some difficulty, and pulled on a dark blue long-sleeved button up shirt, and buttoned it up until the last two buttons. I then rolled the sleeves up to my elbow, and straightened the shirt out over my jeans just right. I walked over to my door and chose my blue flip flops, and took the brush to my hair once more.

I looked at my ears and growled, realizing I had to cover them if we were going into town. I sighed swiftly and looked at my tail too. "It's getting pretty close to Halloween, the ningens that go to school tend to dress up in their costumes two weeks early, so don't worry about hiding it." Hiei said, standing at my door frame. I glanced at him and back into the mirror, frowning and tugging on my ears. "I wish I could just pull them off." I mumbled, messing my hair up into its usual all over the place style. "Why?" He asked, folding his arms. I looked at him from the corner of my eye and shrugged. "They're annoying." I said simply, leaning close to the mirror to put my eyeliner on. "But they're apart of you. If they were gone now, you'd probably miss them." He said, cocking his head to the side before turning around and walking out into the hallway. I glanced back to where he was, and then back in the mirror, a confused look on my face. I shrugged it off though, and followed suit.

Hiei looked completely different too. He was wearing black jeans and a white wife-beater. He had his hands in his pockets as he walked down the stairs, and I couldn't help but stare at him. We reached the bottom and I shook it off, looking at Kuwabara. He was dressed in blue jeans and a green short sleeved shirt. We left the house and reached the edge of the forest, and I grinned at the boys. "I love doing this." I said, before taking off at a comfortable running pace. Hiei had taken to the trees, barely ahead of me, and Kuwabara ran off to my side, a little slower than me.

If we weren't using a portal, we usually just ran into town, which is what we really preferred to do. It gave us a good stretch after being cooped up into the house all day. We ran through the forest, each of us having our own sense of direction to lead us on the right path, and in no time we'd reached the end, where we had to slow in case a human caught us running at a speed that wasn't, well, human.

Kuwabara fell into a walk, as did I and Hiei jumped from the tree he was in, following suit. "You're paying, right?" Hiei asked, smirking at Kuwabara. Kuwabara paled and looked at him. "What? What makes you think I'm paying, Shrimp! How about you pay?" He asked, folding his arms and looking away. Hiei glared at him and crossed his arms as well. "I'll kill you." He said simply. I stopped and looked at him, and started laughing. He stopped and gave me a look and smirked. "What?" he asked slightly amused. "You sounded so serious…and your face was all serious too…that was great." I said in between laughs, holding my sides as I tried to stop my laughing.

Kuwabara smiled and laughed with me, while Hiei just smirked and shook his head. "Let's go." He said, turning and walking. I regained control of myself and followed, still slightly giggling. We found a Chinese restaurant and sat down, and brought up mild chat as we waited for the waiter or waitress to come by.

-Meanwhile-

"Yusuke, how many times do I have to tell you! She's a member of another team I have, not a spirit detective! She's more like an assassin for me." Koenma said, clearly annoyed as his face had turned red. Yusuke stood stubbornly, crossing his arms to him. They'd been briefed all morning about a mission they were going to go on, and yet Koenma had told them that two people were going to be accompanying them. Yusuke didn't like that idea, and Kurama, who was standing behind Yusuke, was slightly worried about it too.

"I don't care if she's one of your people! It's that, that scares me!" Yusuke said, eyeing Koenma. "Why don't you just meet her?" Koenma said, glaring at Yusuke. Yusuke shook his head. "No, not until I know for sure what's going on. This is apparently a big mission; I'm not throwing my teammates in there and not know what's going on." He said calmly, his demeanor ringing clearly of the fact that he was leader of the team. He was in full team leader mode, and his caution for his team members was amazing, but it was testing Koenma's patience. He opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't get it out before there came a rumbling noise.

The wall to Koenma's right completely busted open, sending Kurama and Yusuke flying back to the opposite side of the room. They coughed as a lot of dust entered the room, and they looked up. When it cleared, two figures were standing there. One was a girl, she was rather tall and her build was lithe but muscular, and she had really long light brown hair. It was wavy, almost curly, and it reached her middle back. Her eyes were a deep brown color, with bright gold rings around the edges. And instead of pupils, they were slits, like a cat. She had fangs, and her nails were long, and she had ears and tail, which were both an orange color, which both looked as if soot had been sprinkled on them.

Her face was set in a glare as her eyes narrowed in Koenma's general direction. The man behind her was rather tall too, he had a strong build to him, and he had purple color eyes, which instantly ticked off to Kurama that he was a shadow demon, and long shaggy black hair. He stood behind her in a posture that was protective, not really caring about who was there, but as long as she didn't get hurt. The girl was holding a rather large spiked club, which was what had made the huge hole in the wall. It looked too big for her to be holding, but she held it with ease. Koenma looked at her and sighed, shaking his head. "Hello Zee." Koenma said tiredly. The man nodded his head, not really caring. He then turned to look at the girl, she was fruitfully glaring at him, and it sent chills up Yusuke's spine. He could also hear the low hiss coming out of her mouth.

"And hello to you too, Rosetta." Koenma said.


	20. Simple and Clean

_**Tremble For My Beloved**_

_**::Chapter Twenty; Simple and Clean::**_

Yusuke and Kurama were now standing up, slightly tensed as they waited for the woman to speak. She was looking at Koenma like she wanted to kill him. She narrowed her eyes even further, and then looked back at Zee. He moved in front of her and walked towards Koenma. "Good afternoon Koenma, you'll have to excuse Rosetta, she's not in the best of moods." He said, sitting down in one of the chairs. "Of course i'm not in the best of moods! You. Woke. Me. Up." Rosetta said, her voice wasn't as high as a soprano, yet there was a ring to it that made it a softer high.

Koenma rolled his eyes who motioned for her to sit down. Rosetta walked into the room, and Yusuke noticed immediatly that she moved with uncanny grace, and stood next to Zee. He looked down at the spiked club, and his eyes widened and his jaw dropped. He hadn't gotten a look at it's size before, it was twice her size. She gave him a look, before letting the club fall to the floor. It landed with a loud 'thud', and several cracks and a small crator created on the floor because of it's weight. Yusuke eyed it, and then eyed her, before shaking his head. "That makes no sense." He muttered, looking at Kurama.

"I want to go back to sleep." She muttered, sitting down next to Zee who put his arm around the back part of her chair. Rosetta crossed her legs and then crossed her arms, and let out a huff of air. "Now what do you want?" She asked him. Koenma looked wary as he looked from Yusuke and Kurama, back to Rosetta. "Guys, this is the girl i was talking about." Koenma motioned, nodding his head towards Rosetta.  
Yusuke and Kurama walked forward, Yusuke being cautious, but Kurama was friendly, as usual.

"Hello. My name is Kurama." He said, smiling and holding his hand out. Rosetta gave his hand a look before giving it a small shake. "Yes, yes i know. You're the infamous Pixie. My name is Rosetta." She said curtly, crossing her arms again. Kurama gave her an odd look, before looking at Zee and held his hand out. Like Rosetta, Zee stared it for a moment before shaking it. "My name is Zee. It's nice to meet you." He said, his demeanor cool. Kurama smiled and glanced at Koenma. "Likewise. This here, is Yusuke." Kurama said, gesturing towards Yusuke who was still standing a distance away.  
Rosetta smirked and tilted her head to the side. "Ah, yes. Koenma's little prodigy. How do you do?" She asked. Yusuke shoved his hands in his pockets and glared at her.

"Listen lady, i really don't quite particulary care who you are, or what Koenma wants you to do with us." He said, walking near her and leaning in close to her face. He lowered his voice and stared at her right in the eye. "But i'm nobody's prodigy." He said distantly, a sneer on his face. She only smirked at him and leaned back further into her chair as Zee leaned over, his hand inches from Yusuke's face. "I suggest you keep that away from her if you don't want me to cut it off." He said, his tone suddenly dark. Kurama looked uncomfortable as he looked around, Koenma was just rolling his eyes as if he was babysitting a bunch of children.

"Guys, knock it off. Now. Rosetta, i don't care if i woke you up. Get over it. Yusuke, everybody in the worlds knows you're not my prodigy, i pretty much forced you into this job. Don't fight with Zee, he scares me. Sit down, shut up, and listen. This is majorly important, and i really don't feel like dealing with a bunch of two-year-olds." He said curtly, his voice had risen slightly louder as he glared at all of them, before Yusuke sneered at Zee once more and sat down in a chair, followed by Kurama. Rosetta only rolled her eyes and groaned, leaning her head back against Zee's arm.

"There is a man who is after Ayumi. His name is Demeter." Koenma started, staring at Yusuke as his face paled. "After Ayumi? Are you kidding me!?" Yusuke yelled, his hands balling up into a fist. "Yes. He's a Moon God, and he's well...quite the devil. You see, the sun and the moon are like Yin and Yang. They can operate in peace, but they can never truly work as a team. If one of them should be corrupt and wish to control the other, it would be distasterious. Demeter wants Ayumi's sun powers, because with it he would control life itself. This is the most important mission you'll ever go on. I don't care how you do it, but i want Demeter's head." Koenma said, pounding a fist on his table.

Yusuke was now visibly seething, and Rosetta couldn't help but eye him with curiosity. This Ayumi girl must be his girlfriend or some sort of family. "You'll need all the help you can get, and that's why you're going to be working with Rosetta and Zee." Koenma said, gesturing towards the two. Yusuke groaned and put his head in his hands. Koenma sighed and glared at him. "I know you like operating with your team, but seriously Yusuke, it's not that big of a-" Koenma said, but Yusuke was up in a flash, and in his face. His voice was deathly low, and it sent chills down Koenma's and Kurama's back. Rosetta and Zee looked thurougly amused, though Zee really just kept his eyes on Rosetta.

"I don't care about working with them. You want this guy dead, fine. I have no problem killing anybody that wants to hurt Ayumi. My problem is what the hell am i suppose to do about Ayumi! You think she's just going to sit back and let us go kill somebody that's trying to kill her? No, you know she won't. She's too stubborn. And she just had her first mission! So coming along with us, is not an option. I can't leave her alone now Koenma! Anywhere she goes...." Yusuke was shaking and Kurama had to place a hand on his shoulder to pull him away from Koenma's desk. "I hate you. I never wanted this for Ayumi. She shouldn't have to deal with all of this..." Yusuke finished, his voice was quiet as he sank back into the chair, his head placed in his hands again.

"You're worried about her safety? That's stupid. Somebody will be with her, always. As for the mission...i'm still debating whether or not to even tell her about it." Koenma said, sitting back and crossing his arms. Yusuke sat back in his chair, and looked thurougly pissed off. "Ah, yes. Because that is such a great idea." Yusuke said crossly. Koenma glared at him and sat forward in his chair. "Well then what do you suggest, Yusuke? And don't talk about past stuff, i can't change what's happened." Koenma said, obviously becoming more annoyed.  
"I don't know. But i guess we have to tell Hiei and Kuwabara, i'm also guessing you only pulled us two today because you didn't want to make Ayumi so suspicious. Whatever. Are these two staying with us?" Yusuke asked, gesturing towards Rosetta and Zee, who had yet to make any opinions on the current situation. Koenma nodded. "Yes, they'll stay with you and their alibi will be that they are there to train for the Dark Tournament, which is here within the next few months. Anywho, off you go now. I'll try to think of a plan." Koenma said tiredly, waving his hand as a portal arrived.

The group rose from their chairs, and headed into the portal, landing in the living room. Rosetta looked around, carefully taking in the design of the house so she would not forget it, and turned to Yusuke. "Sorry about your friend. Anyways, where would you like Zee and I to stay at?" Rosetta asked, looking from Yusuke to Kurama. "I'll show you to your room, you won't mind sharing one? I'm afraid we only have two guest bedrooms, and Ayumi occupies one." Kurama said, leading them up the stairs.  
Rosetta shook her head. "Not at all. Zee would probably try and kill you if you tried seperating us." She said, looking back over her shoulder to smile at him, who was following closely behind and smirked at her.

He showed them to their room, and smiled, before walking back downstairs. Rosetta stared after him and narrowed her eyes. Zee opened the door for her, and she thanked him, quickly walking in. Zee shut and locked the door, and sat on the bed as he waited for Rosetta to do the usual. She started it on corner of the room, lightly sniffing and pressing her ear to any surface that she could reach. She was checking for any audio or recording devices.  
She found none and folded her arms, letting out a huff of air. "Dang, i thought that there'd be something in here. Oh well, that warms me up at least a little more towards them. I don't like this Zee." She said quickly, walking over to the bed and sitting down. Zee looked at her and couldn't help but smile at her and shaking his head.

"Yes, yes. I know." He said quietly, rubbing his hand up and down her arm. She sighed and leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I really hope we aren't stuck babysitting these idiots." Rosetta said, a low growl coming from her throat. There was something odd about the house smell, it smelt like dog, but Rosetta shrugged it off for now. She shook her head to clear it, and turned her to head to look at a frowning Zee. She frowned as well and poked him in the face. "What?" She asked, smiling. He looked at her and shook his head, before bringing her to him and lightly kissing her lips, before pulling back and grinning.

Rosetta rolled her eyes and stood up, before smiling back at him and walking towards the bathroom and opened the door while Zee stayed on the bed, raising an eyebrow at it. She turned the shower on and looked back at Zee. "Coming?" She asked, before smirking and turning back around. Zee sat there for a minute, stunned, before laughing and jumping up and almost sprinting into the bathroom after her.

-Meanwhile-

Yusuke and Kurama sat on the couch, waiting for the other three to get home. They looked at each other with glum faces and Yusuke couldn't help but mumbled under his breath. He wasn't going to keep this from Ayumi, he didn't care what Binky-Breath said, and he definitely didn't know how to introduce the two newcomers upstairs to the other three as well.  
The front door opened, and the two boys could hear Ayumi and Kuwabara laughing, and Hiei calling them idiots as they walked into the room. Ayumi took one look at Yusuke's face and the smile was gone, her face suddenly serious. "What's wrong?" She asked, her body tensing. Yusuke frowned and stared at her, before sighing and running a hand through his hair.

"We gotta talk." Yusuke said.


	21. Work It

_**Tremble For My Beloved**__**  
**__**::Chapter Twenty-One; Work It::**_

* * *

My eyes narrowed as I stared at Yusuke. He looked kind of stressed out, and Kurama didn't look too well either. Hiei was staring at them, before his face turned into a glare and his head cocked to the direction of the stairs. His eyes narrowed as their scent still lingered in the house, and Hiei was tensing too. He had read Yusuke's mind, and had already explained what was going onto Kuwabara, whom he told to keep his mouth shut to Ayumi about it.

"Yusuke..." I said, slightly worried now. "We have some company." Yusuke finally said, shrugging his shoulders. I raised an eyebrow at him and crossed my arms. "Company? That's helpful. Where are they?" I asked, looking around. The house smelt kinda funny, but i couldn't quite place the scent. It smelt kind of bad to be honest. "They're up in their rooms, most likely showering since one of them just woke up." Yusuke said, a slight tone to his voice. I walked over to him and sat down, and folded my hands in my lap. "Okay, so what are they here for? And how long will they be here for?" I asked quietly.

"Well, they're here to train with us for a while. They're going to be in the Dark Tournament, which isn't so far away you know. So...they're gonna be here for a while. But they're pretty cool...it's a boy and girl. The boy's name is Zee, and the girl's name is Rosetta." He said. I nodded and felt a little better, but something still didn't seem right. If they were just here for training, why did Yusuke look so sad. I didn't like having things kept from me, but i bit back my remark and frowned, deciding i'd figure it out on my own.

"Is that why you guys were gone for so long?" I asked quietly, glancing at Kurama. He gave me a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes and nodded. "Yes. Sorry it took a while...Rosetta was kind of late." He said quietly, standing up and stretching. "What did you guys make for lunch?" Kurama asked, his voice curious. I grinned and looked back at Hiei and Kuwabara. "We had Chinese food!" I yelled, jumping up. Hiei folded his arms and shook his head, while Kuwabara joined in my giddyness.

"Chinese huh? Who paid?" Yusuke asked, standing up. I blushed and looked down, and put my hand behind my head. "Well..to be honest...i did." I said, completely averting my eyes. Yusuke gave me a look before narrowing his eyes. "You did? How did you manage that...you're broke." He said, putting his hands on his hips. I made a face and then looked down again. "Well...i kinda just...stole it from you." I said, before turning and making a run for it up the stairs. Yusuke was already sending a string of curse words towards me, and i could hear his feet coming after me.

I yelled and pushed forward, reaching the top of the stairs and rounding the corner. I wasn't paying attention, and i ran smack forward right into somebody. I yelled out softly and fell back just as Yusuke came around the corner. He caught me clumsily and steadied me, while the person i hit, a girl to be exact, was in a man's arms. I looked up at them with wide eyes. First at the guy, he was freaking huge. He towered over the girl, protectively at that, and his eyes which were an extremel violet stared at me.

I then took a look at the girl, and instinctively i growled at her. I didn't know what was wrong with me, but she was the cause of the smell in the house. She stunk, to put it nicely. On top of that, she had tiger ears and a tail. She was an anthro, like myself, only she was a Tiger demon. My ears were perked forward, as were hers, and Zee seemed to be holding her back. I didn't realize that Yusuke's arms were locked around me as well. My tail was moving back and forth violently, as my eyes blazed over to it's bright orange color.

A deep growl emitted in our throats, and in less than a second all of the guys were up, in a figthing position.  
Kurama understood what was going on at once and frowned. "Oh dear...this could become problematic." He said. "What do you mean? Ayumi is freaking out here!" Yusuke said, struggling as he tried to continue and hold me back. I was thrashing around, my teeth barred, towards the girl, Rosetta i presumed, who fangs were also barred and was trying to claw her way to me. "Rosetta is a feline. Ayumi is a canine. And Rosetta has now entered Ayumi's territory. There's going to be fighting unless you calm her down." Kurama said.

Yusuke glared down at me and then gave Rosetta a look. "Great. This is just what i fucking need." Yusuke mumbled under his breath before looking back at me. "Ayumi, knock it off!" He yelled, lifting me up and taking me into the bedroom closest to me, which was Kurama's. At once i was calm, but my senses were still heightened. I turned to Yusuke, my eyes blazing. "What is that...thing!?" I yelled, my voice low and menacing. Yusuke gave me a look and rolled his eyes. "Her name is Rosetta. She's our company. Thanks for trying to kill her, i really appriciate it." He said curtly, crossing his arms.

I couldn't help but blush, i shrugged it off. "Hey, it's not my fault. I didn't do that on purose...i'm sorry...i don't know what happened...." I said, trailing off. Did i really just make an ass out of myself in front of everyone? I placed my ear to the door, to hear Rosetta throwing curse words around and demanding that somebody had better get Koenma here. Kurama could only try and reasure her that it'd be okay, while Zee went on to warn them that if something wasn't done we would fight. I frowned and looked like a little child who had done something wrong. In conclusion, yes, i had indeed made an ass out of myself in front of everybody. "Oops." I said. Yusuke was glaring at me, but his gaze softened as he pulled me into a hug.

"Hey, it's okay. I make an ass outta myself all the time. I just don't know what to do about it now. You're gonna have to go face her or something...and not attack her, might i add." He said. I thought about it, and couldn't help the boiling anger pitted in my stomach. "She makes me mad." I said, crossing my arms. "You don't even know her." Yusuke said argumentively. I threw him a look. "No shit sherlock. That's not what i meant. She's...a freaking...cat! She STINKS!" I said, but i couldn't finish my sentence because i could hear what Rosetta was saying.

"Somebody better keep that mutt away from me." She said. I stood still, frozen, and i was suddenly seeing red. My eye started twitching and Yusuke was giving me a serious look. "She...just...called me...a...mutt." I said breathlessly, before turning to rip the door out of my way. Yusuke had backed up a bit too far, and couldn't catch me before i swung the door open. Rosetta was pointing a finger at Kuwabara, Zee had his hand placed lightly on her shoulder and couldn't stop me. I shot forward, almost screaming, and slammed into Rosetta.

She yelled and flew back, hitting the wall with her shoulder but landing on her feet. She was glaring at me. Nobody had really registered what was going on before Rosetta screamed and rushed me. She slammed into me, and we both flew back into Kurama's bedroom. Yusuke was no on the outside, standing next to Hiei who was about to tell somebody to stop us, before we tumbled under him and into the room. Yusuke snapped his mouth shut and glared, before crossing his arms. "You know what? Forget it." He said angrily, watching.

Kurama frowned and seemed to be a little distress. "But...my room..." He said sadly. Kuwabara and Yusuke couldn't help but snicker, Hiei simply looked amused. Zee didn't look too happy, but he didn't budge, he simply kept his eyes on Rosetta. I rolled so that i was now on top of Rosetta and slammed my fist into her again and again. She took each hit with a yell, and finally pushed me backwards. I flew into the wall and flinched as picture frames crashed to the floor around me. I landed on my feet and charged her, slamming into her once again. She grabbed my shoulders and did a roundhouse kick, her heel connecting with my face. I flew back, but grabbed her wrist and took her with me. We were mid air when i flung her, and she slammed into the body mirror that was attached to one of the walls.

I was at her throat, my hands holding her up. "You're in my territory. You'd do well to remember that." I said, my voice unbelievably low. We were both still growling, in fact, i didn't think we stopped. She gave me a look before throwing me backwards. I landed on my back and stood up to charge, but suddenly Hiei and Zee were in front of us. Zee picked up Rosetta and took her out of the room, and down the stairs. Hiei had glared at me, before picking me up and jumping out of the window towards the forest. We reached my special medow and he completely dropped me.

"Ow! What was that for!?" I yelled in protest, dusting myself off and beginning to blush as i started to feel like a fool. "What? Dropping you? I just didn't feel like putting you down nicely." He said shrugging and giving me a look. I glared at him and crossed my arms. "Thanks." I muttered, frowning. This was definitely going to be a problem. "That was rather amusing." Hiei said smirking, still standing. I glanced up at him and gave him the peace sign. "Glad i can provide light entertainment." I said. "Hn." He said. I gave him a look before laying on my back.

"Now what?" I asked, going over what just happened in my head. "We stay here until you both cool down. Then i'm supposed to bring you back to the house." He said, slightly annoyed. I sighed and layed an arm over my face, letting the sun hit my skin. It felt refreshing.

Back at the house, i could still hear Rosetta growling.


	22. God Must Have

_**Tremble For My Beloved**__**  
**__**::Chapter Twenty-Two; God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You::**_

* * *

I layed there in the grass, Hiei sitting next to me. For once, we were both quiet, and it was a peaceful quiet. I'm not sure why, but i didn't want to leave. And it kind of scared me to think that the reason i didn't want to leave was because Hiei was here. I shrugged it off though, and decided to be obnoxoius. "Never thought that love could feel like this, and you changed my world with just one kiss. How can it be, that right with me, there's an angel? It's a miracle. Your love is like a river, peaceful and deep. Your soul is like a secret that i never could keep. When i look into your eyes i know that it's true. Bod must have spent a little more time on you." I sang softly, letting the memory of the band *NSYNC play through my mind. I don't know why i chose that song, well, besides the fact that it was a soft melody, and it was bound to confuse Hiei.

I gazed up at him, and he was definitely eyeing me. But he merely shook his head and stared back out into the spring in silence. I grinned at him and chuckled. "You really gotta get into Ningen music." I said. "I don't think so Onna." He said, quietly as well. He didn't put his heart into the word Onna this time, and i frowned as i realized i got butterflies. What the hell? I thought to myself. I ignored it though, and pulled myself up to wrap my arms around my knees.  
"Are you kidding me!? Come on...just try a couple bands. You don't have to listen to the fruity bands like *NSYNC or anything...but i know a couple of bands that you'd probably lo- like." I corrected myself. I was going to use the word love, but Hiei didn't love anything, so i used like instead.

He inclined his head towards me before turning it completely to look at me. "Hn. Maybe." He said, looking back at the spring. I smiled and closed my eyes, letting the sound of the spring calm me. The air smelt like the grass and the spring, it was a smell i was accustomed too, but there was something else in the air too. It smelt like a touch of ashes and burning wood, it smelt amazing. I stuck my nose into the air and took in a deep breath, finally noticing that Hiei was the source of the smell. He gazed at me, an eyebrow raised and i laughed.

"Sorry. You smell good." I said, closing my eyes again. With my eyes closed though, i did not see the small blush that crept up on Hiei's face. He faced away from me and i opened my eyes to give him a small smile. "You're not bad, you know?" I said, a playful smirk on my face. He smirked back at me. "You're not so bad yourself, when you're not being completely obnoxious." He said. I huffed and gave him a pouted face.

"Shut up. I'm not completely obnoxious....i'm just kind of....half obnoxious." I said giggling. He shook his head. "You're annoying." He said, in a matter of factly voice. I gazed him before narrowing my eyes. "Thanks, jerk." I said, before grinning and standing up.  
"Right...well...i suppose we should be getting back to the house." I said. Hiei looked up at me and stood, but then crossed his arms. "Yusuke hasn't called yet. Just because you're calmed down, doesn't mean Rosetta is." He said.

I couldn't stop the bubbling feeling in my chest when he said her name, and my voice turned into ice. "That stupid cat can get over herself. It's my house." I said. Hiei took in my stance, tone, and face, and smirked. "You've got to control yourself." He said, his face turning slightly serious. I crossed my arms and huffed. "I don't have to do shit." I mumbled. Hiei glared at me then and shook his head. "Baka. What are you, two?" He asked. I knew he was egging me on, and trying to help me, but i really wasn't in the mood.

"You know what? Maybe i am two. You're still a jerk." I said, turning to walk away from him. I made it out of the spring area, and into the clearing that would take me back to the house. It was roughly a seven minute walk, if you were walking at a normal pace, but i really didn't have the energy. I took it down to a slow pace, and it would take me roughly thirteen minutes to get there. Hiei followed me, keeping a slow pace as well though i ignored him at first.

My wings fluttered lightly in the breeze as the sun just started to set, as did my hair, and i gazed out over the field in front of the house, and i had to admit that it was a beautiful picture.  
The sun warmed my skin and i couldn't help but feel more relaxed and calm, and i turned to face Hiei. "Sorry. I don't know why i hate her so much...it's not her personally...i don't know. I suppose i should grow up." I said quietly. Hiei made no effort to scold me, like i thought he would. I turned to look at him and was stopped by the sight.  
The sun hit his skin brilliantly, and it radiated half of his face, the other half held in slight shadow as the tree hung over him. My breath caught, and my heart thudded in my chest. What was wrong with me? I asked myself. I didn't know, but i couldn't stop staring at him. Right now, he was the most beautiful thing i've ever seen.

I blushed, and quickly tore my eyes away from him and back up at the house. He gave me a weird look, but didn't say anything. "You are childish...but you'll get better." He said, before walking ahead of me towards the house. I couldn't help but smile. "Is that a compliment?" I asked, following him. He looked over his shoulder and playfully glared at me. "Pft. Don't get use to it, Onna. You're still a baka." He said, before paying attention to the road. I was still smiling when we reached the house, as Hiei opened the door and let himself in.

I followed and shut the door behind me, and walked into the living room where everybody was waiting for us. Rosetta was sitting in Zee's lap, who had his arms wrapped securely around her waist. Yusuke, Kurama, and Kuwabara were sitting around them in some places, and Hiei took his spot on the window seat.  
I and sat down on one of the arms of the couch and looked sheepishly at Rosetta. I was still a little giddy from being outside, and from feeling what i felt. I've never felt that before, and it made me light headed. And thus, that put in a good mood.

"Sorry...about before." I said, stumbling around with my words. She still looked pretty pissed, but she also looked calm.  
She looked at Zee, who nodded and she sighed, looking back at me. "I apologize for my behavior, too." She said, her voice tight. I looked at her, and realized what an ass i made out of myself. I couldn't help but start laughing, realizing that fighting with a stupid cat was the most remote and stupidest thing ever. "Yeah, yeah. You don't bother me." I said, realizing the words were true. She still smelled funny, and i was still feeling protective of my 'territory', but other then that, there were no harsh feeligs.

"Anyways...my name is Ayumi." I said. She looked at me like i was insane, before shaking her head. I realized that people tended to do that a lot around me. "Rosetta." She said, and then placed her hand on Zee's neck. "This is Zee." She said. I smiled at him and wave, and he waved back and smiled, a little hesitantly at first.  
At first, i thought he was a body guard or something, but the way he held Rosetta, suggested that it was more than that, way more. "Sweet. Nice to meet you two, so you guys are here to train for the tournament?" I asked, making sure i got it right. Rosetta nodded, and Zee smiled again. "That's right. We're going to whoop some ugly demon ass this year." He said, clearly the man liked fighting and i couldn't help but chuckle at his enthusiasm.

'Well done Onna...' I heard Hiei's voice in my head, and i completely ignored the fact that it made my heart flutter. I smiled in his general direction and then stood up and stretched. "Mmm. Figthing is fun." I said, before turning to Kurama. "Right...so...what's for dinner?" I asked Kurama. He thought about it for a moment, and then grinned. "Curry." He said. I squealed and hugged him, and started laughing. He, like many had done that day, shook his head at me and headed towards the kitchen. "I love curry." I mumbled, plopping down on the love seat next to Yusuke.

We had a new collection of movies, and one i was itching to see was the movie Fighting. It looked really kick ass, and i would probably try to mimick(sp?) some of the moves, i knew already that Zee would be on my side and yelled, "Let's watch..FIGHTING!" I said. Yusuke glanced at me and girnned, as Zee grinned too. "Hell yeah!" He said. Rosetta rolled her eyes and smirked, before laying her head back on his shoulder and shutting her eyes.  
I couldn't help but smile at them, they made a cute couple.

I forgot something though, and went into the kitchen and attacked Kurama with a hug. He yelled and almost lost balance, and started laughing. "What was that for?" He asked, brushing himself off.  
"Well...we kind of destroyed your room. Sorry about that..." I said sheepishly, a blush finding it's way to my face. He smiled and waved it off. "Don't worry about it. Go watch the movie." He said, before turning back to the stove. "You're freaking awesome!" I yelled, turning and running back to Yusuke, who yelled when i toppled onto him and made him fall to the floor.

"Why do you always do this to me?" He asked. It was true, almost every day i not only made him fall to the floor, i usually fell with him and used him to break my fall. "Because i love you, and somebody needs to do it." I said, before pulling him back onto the couch. He rolled his eyes and pushed the Play button, and we settled in to watch, the smell of curry wafting through the air.

I still had no idea that somebody was trying to kill me.


	23. Used To

_**Tremble For My Beloved  
**__**::Chapter Twenty-Three; Used To::**_

* * *

That night was fairly easy to deal with, and despite the fact that Rosetta is a stinky cat who was invading my territory, she was pretty cool. Though i did notice she was a bit snappy from time to time. I stared at her and Zee a lot; they were so totally opposites, i couldn't believe that they were actually together, and it was the only time Rosetta loosened up and relaxed a bit too. They definitely had an effect around each other, it was kind of cute. It took me a while to finally fall asleep, but i managed. Supposedly we were going to train with Rosetta and Zee tomorrow, so that sounded promising.

The sun's morning rays found their ways through my bedroom windows, and cascaded my room in a striped morning glow. I woke up with a grin, loving the fact that i was a Sun Maiden. It seemed to fit, and the sun felt so nice no matter what mood i was in. I showered quickly, and dressed in a pair of black jean shorts, and a white tank top. I didn't wear shoes, as usual, and i left my hair down for once. I needed to get it cut soon, it was betting to reach my middle back, and the layers were growing out. I wasn't sure how i wanted to cut it, but i thought that once the shortest layer reached just below my shoulders, i'd cut it all so it was even for once.

That seemed like a good idea, and i was eager to get that done. My hair had always been naturally red, and my eyes were that cerulean color.  
I thought it was weird how they turned into a fiery orange color when i was in my Maiden. I shook the thought off though as i brushed my teeth and hair, and headed down stairs. Rosetta and Zee were already up, as were Kurama and Hiei. Of coures the two goons were still unconscious upstairs. I shook my head and yawned, crossing my arms. I looked down, my cheeks tinting a slight red, as Hiei gave me a look.

"Um...Rosetta?" I asked, still not looking at her. Her sleepy eyes turned to me, they were slightly curious. "Hm?" She asked. "Uh...i was wondering...if you'd mind going into town with me this morning...before we start training anyways?" I half mumbled. Hiei blinked for a second, and then smirked and turned his attention back to the window. Zee chuckles, as did Kurama, and i just stood there half mortified. "Sure." She said, her voice light. My head snapped up and i smiled. "Really! Awesome...i'll buy you breakfast too!" I said smiling. Kurama hadn't started cooking yet, but i figured i could give him a break by taking two people of his list.

Zee leaned over and kissed Rosetta on the cheek, as she gave him a small smile and a look and stood up, her hand lingering his in for only a moment before she walked past me towards the door. "I'll be back in a while!" I said, heading over towards the door behind her.  
I slipped on my black flip flops, and looked over Rosetta. She was wearing light blue knee length shorts, and a white shirt with a tiger's face print on it, on the back of the shirt it read RAWR. in bold, green letters. She put on dark green flip flops and threw her hair up into a pony-tail. She still looked half asleep.

"You're not a morning person." I said, on the walk to the forest. We would start running once we reached the forest.  
She gave a rather large yawn and gazed at me with sleepy eyes, a small smile on her face. "Is it that obvious?" She asked. I chuckled and put my hands in my pockets, and tilted my head up so the sun could hit my face. "You are a morning person." She said, more as a statement than a question. I coudn't help but grin. "Guilty. Don't get me wrong, i enjoy sleeping i just....i like the sun. Especially in the morning." I said. She was quiet for a moment.

"You're crazy." She finally said. I laughed at her bluntness, and shook my head, as she smirked at me. "So why are we really going into town? Besides breakfast and coffee?" She said. "Uh, i never said i was getting you coffee." I said teasingly. She gave me a look. "Oh, you will get me coffee. Becaue if you don't, there will be hell to pay." She said in her own teasingly voice, though it sounded rather dark and true. I couldn't help but laugh again.  
"Alright, alright. I was only kidding. And i wanna get my hair cut...and i didn't wanna go alone." I said sheepishly.

I couldn't help but notice her hair, which was an odd golden color in the light. "You're a tiger demon, correct?" I asked, curious. She looked over at me and nodded. "Yep, and i'm a real tiger demon. Not like that stupid Byakko guy that makes tiger demons look bad." She said, referring to the tiger demon that Kuwabara fought in Maze Castle. They had told me about that once, but i didn't know Rosetta would know. "How did you know about Maze Castle?" I asked, curious.

"Uh...well you see i have an odd...relationship...with Koenma." She said, her tone a little sheepish and distant. "Relationship? As in..." I asked, i knew it wasn't romantically, there was no way she could be with anybody but Zee. They had only been at the house for two days, and i already couldn't picture her with anybody else but him. She gave me a look as her tone hardened a bit. "Don't be a pervert." She said. I laughed and shook my head and gave her my own look. "Okay then, if not that, then what?" I asked.

She sighed and put her hands in her back pockets. "Well...i'm...in a sense...he's my...uh.......dad." She said quietly. I stopped completely, my eyes almost falling out of my head. "Alright dear, put those back before they fall on the ground, get dirty and infected, and then you're blind." She said jokingly. I was still gaping at her though.  
"Your...dad!?!? How is that even...possible!?" I asked, bewildered. She sighed and continued walking again. "It's kind of a long story. He's not my biological dad...obviously..." She said. "Oh..so he's like your foster dad?" I asked, that making a little more sense. Her face was still wary though. "In a sense...it goes a bit deeper than that." She said, the end of her sentence coming out in a closing on. I didn't push it, not wanting to tick her off as we reached the beginning of the forest.

"Huh. Alrighty then, let's get going!" I yelled, taking off. She caught on quickly, even though i didn't tell her why we were running, and she came up on my tail, running at an even pace with me. We reached the edge of the forest in no time, and we slowed ourselves to a walk and headed into town. I was excited to get my hair cut, but first, breakfast. We decided on Chick-Fil-A, not wanting actual 'breakfast' food, and settled down to eat.

"So, where did you meet Zee?" I asked, honestly curious. She smiled at bit as she bit into her chicken and thought for a moment. "Well, naturally, shadow demons are robbers. They steal anything that looks pretty enought to sell, the jerks." She said, a serious tone. "Anyways, i was traveling through a forest, it was dark and it was storming...and i settled down for the night. I woke up when i heard my bags shifting around, for petty theft, that kid could not keep quiet. It was Zee...and of course he freaked when i woke up. He should have been terrified too, my hair was a mess, my eyes were wild, and i was at his throat with a dagger. He says it was rather amusing now that he thinks about it." She said, taking another bite into her food.

I listened quietly, completely taken into the story. "He asked me to spare his life, and i asked what he could do for me if i allowed that...and he said he'd help me with whatever i needed. And in fact, i needed him to take me somewhere, because i couldn't get there on my own. It was a mission from Koenma...can't really talk about it, you understand?" She asked. I nodded, understanding completely. "Right!" I said, grinning and motioning for her to continue. She took in a breath and smiled too. "Well, from there it's history of course...we got on each other's nerves so much...i thought we'd kill each other....but by the time the mission was over and it was time to leave...i couldn't let him go." She said, her voice far off.

I grinned and nodded, eating my own food. "That's really cool. You guys are cute." I said. She chuckled, and stood up to throw her trash away. "Thank you. Now, let's go get that fur cut." She said, motioning to my hair. I narrowed my eyes at her, and pretended to ignore her as we left. In fact, we had a lot in common, and i was beginning to like her.

We reached the hair cuttery, and she sat me down in a chair and motioned for someone to come cut my hair. They grabbed the scissors and stared down at my ears, completely confused. "It's a halloween party thing...their surgically placed." I said. She gave me an odd look, and then shrugged her shoulders. I told her how i wanted it cut, and she set out giving me completely even hair. The rays of sun that broke into the shop covered my head nicely, and showed off just how red it was, and i really liked it. I left my bangs the way they were though, but had her trim them so they weren't too much in my eyes.  
I paid her and thanked her, and walked out with Rosetta who was looking over the cut.

"Hmm...very nice Pup." She said, using my new nickname. I rolled my eyes and nudged her shoulder. "Thanks kitty." I said, using my own pet name and walking forward. I looked back, and her eye was twitching as she thought about it, then narrowed her eyes. "Don't. Call. Me. Kitty!" She yelled. I took one look at her face and started laughing. "Aw, don't get upset..KITTY!" I yelled, taking off towards the house. I could hear her growl and take off after me, and i thought of the irony. A cat chasing a dog, that was twisted.

We reached the house in less time than i expected, and was greeted by a glaring Yusuke. "We're supposed to be training with them, not taking them shopping. I like your hair by the way!" He said, halfway through his glare turning into a grin. I grinned back and gave him a hug and jogged away from him and outside towards the ring.

I was itching to fight the Kitty.


	24. Broken Man

_**Tremble For My Beloved**__**  
**__**::Chapter Twenty-Four; Broken Man::**_

* * *

That night, i sat down with Rosetta. I knew there was something else going on around here, buti wasn't sure as to waht it was. When Yusuke believed i wasn't paying attention, he looked either pissed or sad. And i knew it wasn't Keiko, because she and Yusuke were all over eachother whenever she wa here. It was cute really, but something definitely wasn't right with him.

"So, you and Zee are here for some sort of tournmaent?" I asked, i wasn't sure if i should be careful or not, but i got my answer when Rosetta's eyes turned cautious, and her tone was reserved. "yes, the Dark Tournament." She said. I frowned, she was going to give me short answers so i'd drop it. "Tell me about it." I said, narrowing my eyes as she turned from me. "Five members on a team, compete against a shit load of demons. You win, the committee grants you a wish. If you lose...it's probably because your opponent has killed you." She said.

I counted on my hands and then raised an eyebrow at her. "Sounds simple enough. If there's five members on a team though, why are you and Zee here?" I asked. "Each team is allowed one replacement, and i'm the replacement." She said. "Okay, and Zee?" I hinted at. "Zee is here becaue of me. He will not be participating in the tournmanet, unless of course something happens to me. He's the backups, backup." She said sharply.

I glared at her. "Alright Kitty, what's going on? I know you know." I said, getting annoyed. "Look, i don't know what you're talking about. If you have stupid questions, bother the toddler. Not me, Pup." She said, turning and leaving. I sighed and let her go, before looking around the bedroom walls. These people were keeping secrets from me, and i was going to find out what it was.

I pointedly ignored everybody during dinner, including HIei. _'Onna, what's your problem?' _He asked me telepathically. _"None of your damn business.'_ I thought back harshly. He glared at me for the rest of the night, and i again, pointedly ignored him and everyone else.

I went to bed early, just saying goodnight and headed up the stiars. Yusuke gave me a look, but i sent him a glare. IF he was going to keep stuff from me, then fine, he could do that, but he was not getting praise from me for it. I took a shower and put my hair up in a high pony tail, and i smiled knowing i could put it all up as one later now.

I changed into a black tank top and a pair of white cotton shorts, and washed my face and brushed my teeth. I walked back into my bedroom and almost screamed. Hiei was sitting on my window seat, staring at me with a rather tense posture and an alarmed face. I placed my hand over my heart and regained my breathing while glaring at him. "Why are you in here?" I asked, crossing my arms. He was silent for a moment, and then spoke.

"You're in an unusually bad mood. I find that rather ironic, considering how you're practically a walking sun." He said. His voice was low and had a curious tone to it. I stared ath im for a moment. "What's it to dyou?" I asked. He shrugged and stood up, walking to stand in front of me. "Don't know. Just curious is all." He said. I blnked a few times, before sighing. "You guys are hiding something from me. And i don't like it." I said, wondering if i sounded too whiny. He was silent for a moment, his red eyes staring over my face.

"I'm not supposed to do this. There's a demon...his name is Demeter. He's a mood God...and he wants you dead. I'm guessing for your Sun powers. IF one demon ctonrols both the sun and the moon...well i'm sure you can guess how that'd be disasterious. We've been sent off on wild goose chases every once ina while to look for this guy. Rosetta and Zee are here to help find and kill this guy, and to help protect you. We've been invited to the tournmanet by Demeter himself, though he will not be fighting." He said, staring at me.

I stared back, but not quite sure as to how to take in what he just said. "This guy, wants me dead?" I asked, confused. "Yes." Hiei said. My face turned red, and i started glaring at the wall. "And you guys are supposed to fight this guy for me? And protect me?" I asked, my voice low. "So Koenma thinks." Hiei said, taking in my expression.

Tears lined my face as i got extremely frustrated and agnry. "Why are you crying? Are you afraid? You need'nt be." Hiei said, slightly shocked. "No! I'm angry! Why wouldn't you guys tells me this?" I asked, clearly ticked off. His eyes narrowed at me. "Don't get mad at me Onna. It was Koenma's and the detectives idea to keep it from you." He said. I crossed my arms again and pouted, i couldn't argue with that, but still, i was pissed.

"Yusuke should have told me. I don't want you guys going after him. That's dangerous." I said. Hiei gave me an incredilous look. "That's our job, Onna." He said, shoving his hands in his coat pockets. "So! Apparently it's my job too!" I yelled back. He glared at me and pushed me back onto my bed, his hand over my mouth.

"Shut up. You're not supposed to know. It is your job, but you're not ready for Demeter. This guys is lethal, and he wants you dead. That's not to be taken lightly." He said, his voice serious. "I don't care if i'm not ready. And him being so lethal only makes me feel worse! How oculd i just let you guys go after him, not knowing if you'd make it or not?" I asked, beginning to panic.

Hiei grunted and stood back up, turning his back to me and looking out of the windows. "Don't ask me how to sort out your stupid ningen feelings." He said. I glared at him, and then sighed. "I'm sorry Hiei. Thank you for telling me." I whispered, curling onto my side. He was silent for a moment, and stepped forward to leave. "Hn." He said. He walked forward, but i grabbed his wrist. He stopped and turned to face me.

"Hiei...can you...can you stay? With me?" I asked in a small voice. He gave me another incredilous look, and gave a frustrated sigh and sat next to me on my bed. He left his hand in mine, and i held it next to me, thinking of Demeter and Yusuke...and otehr things too as Hiei stared down at me. I wasn't sure what i was going to do about everything, but it gave me comfort having Hiei here. He was a friend, even if he didn't want to admit it. I knew he'd kill me if i told anybody about this, and i couldn't help but give a small smile.

I fell asleep, with Hiei on my mind.


	25. Fallen

_**Tremble For My Beloved**__**  
**__**::Chapter Twenty-Five; Fallen::**_

* * *

I woke up, and HIei was gone. I knew he would be, and i silently thanked him for being there last night. Thoug now, i had to try and exactly figure out what that meant to me. I also had some detectives to yell at. I stretched and walked into my bathroom, brushing my teeth and putting my hair back in a neat pony tail. I came out and yawned, changing into a pair of jean shorts and a loose white short-sleeved shirt that hung off my shoulders, white flip-flops, and i walked downstairs.

Yusuked looked at me, and attempted his puppy face, which i ignored and went int othe ktichen. Kurama acknowledged me, and i ginored him as well. I locked eyes with Hiei for a moment, before blushing and turning away quickly and sitting down. Kuwabara stumbled in, still half asleep, followed by Yusuke, Rosetta, and Zee. Everybody sat down and Kurama served breakfast.

I was mat at them all, except HIei. He at least told me about Demeter. I kept quiet, realizing that i was mad at Yusuke the most. He was supposed to be my best friend. And he lied to me. I felt flustered again and forced myself to take in a fresh breath and calm down. "Ayumi, what's your problem?" Yusuke asked me, and i looked up at him, and something in me snapped.

My fist slammed down on the table and i stood up, my eyes turning into a fierce orange color. My fangs were bared and a growl emitted from my throat. "My problem? You want to know what my problem is?" I asked. The questions was rhetorical, and Yusuke didn't need to answer, his expression was shocked enough.

"You didn't tell me about Demeter you jerk. None of you did." I said. I wanted to exclude Hiei, but i didn't want to get him in trouble. The look on Yusuke's face was shocked. "How did you find out about that?" He asked, his tone reserved and cautious. I could feel Hiei's curious gaze one me, but i held my glare on Yusuke.

"None of your business. Every single one of you lied to me. And for what? Don't give me the 'we were trying to protect you' bullshit, cause i swear i'll attack you." I said angrily. "Ayumi, we couldn't tell you. You're not ready to fight this guy, and he has to be taken down because of that fact. You're a sitting duck right now." Yusuke said.

My eyes blazed a fierce fiery orange. "I don't care! It's bad enough that you guys are risking getting hurt. It's another to do it behind my back! When i found out what i was, i agreed to join this team. I agreed to be your teammate, and i trusted you. And you guys lied to me." I said, trying to fight back angry tears.

I felt isolated and angry. "Ayumi." Yusuke started, but i shook my ead. Everyone was looking down in their lap except for Yusuke and Hiei. "No. Fuck you Yusuke Urameshi." I said quietly. His eyes widened, as i left the room and hurried out the back door.  
I took one last look at the house, and i took off into the air. I flew with the speed and resentment, instead of the usual carefree joy. I was anything but happy. I felw off, the wind adding to my speed, and the sun rising higher in the sky.

-Yusuke's POV-

"Well, i'd say that went well." Rosetta said, a few minutes after Ayumi left. "I told Koenma it woudl be wrong to keep it from her."  
Kurama said. "I don't blame her for freaking out. Personally, i'm on her side." Zee said, shrugging. "She's acting like a child. I agree, it was wrong to hide it from her, i'd be ticked off too. But she hadnled that all wrong. She's immature." Rosetta said.

"We should do soemthing to cheer her up." Kuwabara suggesxted. "Or maybe she'll show back up and kill you." Hiei said rudely to Kuwabara. "Hye! Bite my ankles shorty!" He yelled back. I set my head in my hands and took a deep breath.

"I should have told her. She's never been this mad at me. What am i gonna do?" I asked, quietly.  
"Honestly, just give her some time. She'll cool off eventually." Rosetta said. I looked up and felt like crap. "I'm gonna go...i don't know. Whatever." I said, stnading up and leaving the kitchen, heading out into the front yard towards town.

Hiei walked into the living room and towards the back door. He wasn't sure what made him do it, but he headed outside onto the training ring. He looked towards the path that led down into a valley, and into Ayumi's meadow. He knew she'd go there once she cooled off, so he began waking there, figuring he better talk to her so she didn't try to blow the house up. He frowned, wondering why he cared and walked down the worn out path.

-Ayumi's POV-

I knew a few hours had passed, and i knew that becaue the sun was high in the sky. And my wings were getting a bit tired. i sighed adn flew down to the tree tops, jumping from branch to branch towards home. I would have stayed away, but i had no where else to go. I couldn't go home to my grandparents, because it might put them in danger.

That word alone caused me to speed up. I should have thought about it before taking off. I was out in the middle of nowhere, by myself, out in the open. I growled at my stupidity and hurried on. I took a deep breath and decided to do the right thing and apologize to Yusuke. And it was then that i noticed that i was being followed.

There were six of them, and from their smell they were fast, and strong demons. Not to mention they were gaining on me. I wanted to pull into the sky, but i realized i couldn't. My wings were too tired, and they couldn't support my weight.  
I muttered a curse under my breath, and started to panic. I was strong, but i couldn't take on six strong demons by myself. I did the only thing i could; call for help.

_'HIEI!' I almosted screamed in my head. The tone and panic was clear, and Hiei's reply was instant. __'Where are you?' __He asked, already headed in the direction i took off in, and completely linking our minds together. __'Heading towards the meadow. Coming in from the East.'__ I thought, trying to concentrate on my footing, and keep a safe distance between the demons and me._

_  
'Who's after you?' He asked, completely serious. I pushed myself forward, only to almost fall. I caught my footing at the last second and jumped foward, landing on top of another branch and kicking off to the next one. That little slip up put them a little closer to me, and i was panicing more. __'Hiei, there's six of them, and they're getting closer!'__ I yelled into my head, my breath getting caught in my throat._

I knew i'd be faster on the ground, but in the time it took to jump down, they'd be on me. I could see them now, all of them. They were gray cloaks and moved quickly and swiftly, getting closer with every stride. _'You're not gonna make it!'_ I thought, almost stumbling again. They were now only a few feet behind me. _'I'm already almost there.'_ He thought back. '_What can i do?'_ I asked. It was silent for a moment before he replied. _'Run.'_ Was all he said.

At that moment, the branch that my foot was just on exploded, and i yelled out in alarm and lost my momentum. I fell to the ground, and crashed into it with my right shoulder. I yelled out in pain and gripped it, as the demons stood over me. "Well, well, well. Hello there, Miss Ayumi. So sorry to bug you, but Demeter would like a word with you." One of them said. He had a coiled back voice, and it was aggrivating.

I huffed out a breath of air. "Get bent!" I yelled, calling out my whip and slashing it quickly across all six of their chest. They stumbled back, stunned but not injured, but i took the free time to take off again. My shoulder pulsed and i had to push aside the notion to grab it, and i ran foward.

One of them jumped, and was in the air over my head.


	26. Toy Soldiers

_**Tremble For My Beloved**__**  
**__**::Chapter Twenty-Six; Toy Soldiers::**_

* * *

I knew i couldn't dodge, so i stopped and settled for screaming. That was when a black blur and a sight of metal appeared, and the body fell to the ground. Completely harmless, and completely dead. I looked up to see Hiei standing over me protectively, with a look that could kill on his face.

"If you want the girl, you're going to have to get through me to take her. So why don't i give you the option of running home and i'll spare your pathetic lives?" Hiei said, his voice was cold. The demons didn't move for a moment, obviously scared, before advancing slowly again.

"Sorry Mr. Jaganshi, but Demeter says that he must speak to Ayumi. It is important." The leader of the group asked. For a group of demons, they were oddly polite. Even still, Hiei didn't budge.

"Hn. If Demeter wants to speak with her so badly, why not come himself?" Hiei asked, obviously ticked. The demonds laughed, but didn't move. "Because you and the otehrs have her on lock down. We will find a way to get her alone. With that stunt you all pulled about not telling her, she may be tempted to come looking for him on her own. And then we won't have to do any work." He said.

Hiei looked like he was going to murder them, and for a second, i was afraid _for _them. I've never seen Hiei in true combat against somebody he was annoyed with, and i was beginning to think it was a scary sight. He got into a fighting stance, and motioned for them to come forward again.

"Now, now, no reason to become violent. Let's go boys." He said, and then they were gone. Hiei stayed where he was for a moment, before sheathing his sword and turned to face me. My heart was still pounding in my chest, and i felt like i was going to pass out. "You okay?" He asked, his voice indiferent.

I glared up at him angrily and pushed myself off the ground. I almost fell again, but Hiei's hands steadied me, which i pushed away. "No, i am NOT alright! Ugh!" I yelled, before forcing my wings to beat. They took me off the ground and about five feet into my climb, they gave out. I fell, and of course Hiei caught me.

"Onna. You're going to hurt yourself." He said, before setting me on the ground. I pushed him away from me. "Yessss Mr. High-And-Mighty. I know. And yes, if i hadn't gone off this never would have happened." I said, angry at myself and everybody else.

"I wasn't going to say that Onna. I was going to say since you can't fly back i'll carry you. But now that you mention it, yes, you are stupid. And you could use some real training, but you have the right to be mad. But, instead of cussing out the Detective, i want you to put that attitude into training. If you want to take on Demeter, you're going to need some serious training." Hiei said, completely serious and sounding rather confident.

I was quiet for a moment as i listened, and the ntook in a deep breath of air and stood up. "So you'll train me then? For real training? Not this kiddy shit they got me doing?" I asked. "Hn. We will all train you. But yes, Onna, i will train you longer and harder. Against my better judgement of course. You probably won't last a week." He said. I grinned at him.

"Yay! Thanks! If you wouldn't kill me immediatly after, i'd kiss you!" I exclaimed. He gave me a look before shaking his head. He moved foward to pick me up, but i swated his hands away. "Nope! IT's my turn." I said, standing still and holding my arms up. I sighed and pulled out the rays of sun i could feel, and that put power back into my wings. "There." I said, taking off into the sky.

Hiei watched me curiously as i went up, and then dived back down. I came in on a loop, so i was now heading towards Hiei's back. When i reached him, i wrapped my arms around his waist and lifted him into the air.

I shot forward, much to Hiei's protest and threats to kill me if i didn't put him down. His head was resting on my shoulder, as i pulled his back into my chest, so he was secured. His feet dangled though.

"Let go of me Onna." He said, his tone dark. I looked down at him and laughed. "You know, that's not really a good choice of words right now." I reminded him. He growled at me and i giggled and flew higher. "Would you relax! Jeez! I want to show you something." I finally said, getting annoyed at Hiei's struggling.

He shut up and quit moving finally, probably out of curiousity, but i was thankful for it. I flew up higher, into the clouds and into another. "Great, now i'm covered in gas particles." Hiei said grumpily. "Shut up." I said, laughing and moving higher up. We reached the peak of the sky, the sun seeming to be an arms length away. I faced downwards, and we were looking over many cities in Japan, including Tokyo. It was quite a sight, and the wind was cool and felt amazing.

"Well, this is it. But, i had a question...." I said thoughtfully. "Hn. What?" He asked. I was silent for a moment, before wondering if the pain that would follow once his feet touched the ground were worth it. I looked down and decided it was and grinned. "Hiei. Have you ever been sky diving?" I asked. HIei was silent for a moment before answering. His tone was so quiet and deadly, it actually gave me the chills. "Don't you dare." He said. I shook my head. "You know, when you say not to...that really makes me want to..." I said thoughtfully, turning us so our heads were now facing the ground.

"Onna. I mea-" Hiei said, but i cut him off. "BOMBS AWAY!!!" I yelled, shotting downwards. When we picked up enough speed, i finally stopped using my wings and we were now free-falling. The speed was exhilerating, and my adrenaline pumped up high. I grinned down at Hiei evily, and realized this would be the perfect tiem to get him back for being such a jerk all the time.

I loosened my grip on him, and let him go until i was just holding his hand. He was yelling of course, but i just laughed and smiled. The speed and the force kept him facing downwards, and actually kept him right next to me. As long as i was holding his hand, he was safe.

"Serves you right!" I yelled at him. When we got closer to the ground though, i pulled up, letting my wings spread completely. Hiei fell a little blow me, but i held his hand and sped off towards the meadow. We reached it, and i slowed, letting Hiei touch the ground lightly before circling him and landing in front of him.

He was glaring at me, of course, but i knew he enjoyed himself. "Well, that was fun. Now what?" I asked. Hiei walked past me towards the house. "Now, i suppose you apologize to the idiots. And then we start training you." He said, walking out onto the path that led to the house.

I grinned excitedly and followed.


	27. The Anthem

_**Tremble For My Beloved**__**  
**__**::Chapter Twenty-Seven; The Anthem::**_

* * *

When we got in the house, i walked straight up the stairs and into Yusuke's room. I wanted to apologize to him first. I hated fighting with him, he was my best friend, and practically my brother. I knocked and heard a muffled, "Come in." And opened the door. Yusuke was laying in his bed, on his back, with his pillow over his face. "What?" I heard his voice ask. He sounded upset. I shut the door and walked over to him, smiling a little.

"What are you doing you goober?" I asked. His head peeked out at me, obviously surprised. "Ayumi! Hey...look...about earlier...and not telling you...i'm sorry! I reall am, i didn't want you to know. I just wanted to hurry up and kill this guy so you wouldn't have to worry about him and-" He started, but i cut him off.

"Hey, it's okay. I know you did it...you were wrong...but i know why." I said in a stern yet gentle voice. I sat on the edge of his bed and ruffled his hair. "You're an idiot. I'd actually be safer if i knew. Because then, i'd try to never be alone. And i'd be more careful." I said, letting my hand rest on his head.

Yusuke shrugged. "Eh. So you think. Anyways, i am sorry. I'm an idiot though. So you forgive me?" He asked, his puppy dog pout on full power. I laughed and pulled him into a hug. "Yes. I'm sorry for yelling at you...even if you did deserve it." I said jokingly. He grinned and hugged me back.

I laughed and got up, shaking my head and leaving, heading towards Kuwabara's room. I knocked and went in when i heard him call out. I saw him sitting on the bed with his kitten, and a glum look on his face. I grinned and jumped on his bed, where he gave me a surprised look.

"Ok. Here's how things are gonna work. You're a jerk, and you should have told me. But, i forgive you. Why? Cause i know i can kick your ass at anytime." I said coyly. He stared at me for a minute, before getting all teary eyed and attacking me.

"Aw, Ayumi! Thank you! I'm sorry for keeping secrets from you." He said in a whiny voice. I rolled my eyes and grinned. "It's okay. Now get off of me you big oaf." I said, unintentionally using Hiei's nickanme for him. Kuwabara didn't notice though, and helped me up. I left im to tend to his kitten, and went downstairs. Kurama was in the kitchen, cooking, and his back was turned towards me. "Umm..." I muttered, not sure how to start.

"Ayumi. Would you like to help me cook lunch? I'm making curry." He said politely. I grinned, knowing that was his way of making amends. "Of course. I'd love to help." I said back softly. He smiled, and told me how i could help. I gladly did so, and felt better after lunch was made. It smelt good, and i ate quickly, excited for my training that would start afterwards.

I wasn't sure what to make of Hiei's new attitude towards me, but i was glad he was training me. I gave a curt nod to Rosetta and Zee, who gave nods back. I finished eating and went upstairs to change, forgetting about Demeter for a while. I changed into a pair of short black yoga shorts, and a white tank top. I went barefoot, and walked downstairs.

"Alright! Who's ass am i kicking first!?" I asked, obviously eager. "Mine. If you can." Rosetta said tauntingly. I gave her a look, and then grinned, baring my fangs. "Finally." I said, grinning from ear to ear. I was more than ready, i could feel my body tensing and my muscles springing in anticipation.

I followed everyone outside and jumped onto the ring, and immediatly moved into an offensive position. Rosetta gave me another look, before shaking her head and jumping on to the ring. "Well, well...playtime for the puppy already?" She asked, taunting me. I growled. "Yes, and my prefered chew toy is an annoying kitty." I said back. She glared at me, and then charged me.

She was fast, really fast. Faster than i expected. Before i knew it, she was behind me, and slammed her forearm into the back of my head. I fell forward, and landed on my hands and pushing myself into a front flip and landed back on my feet. "You're gonna have to do better than that, Kitty." I said, smirking and pushing myself, using my wings for added speed, into her.

I speared into her stomach, and knocked her flat on her back. She growled, and used her long legs and placed them on my hips. She pushed up, and flipped me over so i was now on my back. She went to slash at my face, but i growled and slammed my head upwards, into her own forehead. She yelled out and grabbed her head, falling backwards.

I got up and charged her, and she side stepped and wrapped arms around my torso, and flung me up over her head and onto the ground. I yelled out in pain, and had time to roll out of the way before a huge sword slammed into the ground. I got up, and looked back at her. She was standing in a defensive position, with a beautiful sword in her hands.

"This is my Prophecy Blade. I advise you not to let me hit you with it." She said, her voice low. I grinned and held my hands out, creating a sword of my own. The sword, along with every other weapon i used, was made out of pure Sun energy, yet it was tougher than steel.

"This is my Sun Blade. I suggest you don't let me hit you with it." I said tauntingly. She narrowed her eyes and ran forward, and i ran as well, meeting her in the middle. Our blades clashed as a mixed spark of light and metal flew from the blades, a lound hissing noise coming from them. We pushed at eachother, until i used my wings to give me an extra push, and pushed her backwards. She threw her sword aside and started growling. "Cheater." She said.

"Hah. Don't even. My wings give me the advantage, and i use that advantage. Don't be a player hater." I said, grinning and beating my wings. I could hear Yusuke laughing and i couldn't help but chuckle too. Rosetta didn't like that too much.

Her eyes narrowed as she started breathing in and out, and i blinked and looked at her body. It seemed to be pulsating, and shaking as well. She couldn't possibly be that pissed off. I backed up a little and put myself in a defensive position, and took a look over at Zee. He was standing there with his arms crossed, and a look of amusement on his face. But there was something else, his eyes showed a hint of some emotion that i couldn't quite place.

Rosetta's eye color was changing, drastically. Her whole eye was turning into a golden color, with black slits down the center. Her hair seemed to be growing longer too, and turning from the goldish color it was, into a reddened gold, with black stripes. I looked back at Zee and i could suddenly place the emotion. Fear.

I looked back at Rosetta, and i could feel the hair on the back of my neck standing up, and i didn't realize i had my teeth barred and i was growling. A shiver went down Rosetta's spine, and she crouched over. I kept my eyes on her as everybody else was silent, leaning towards the ring, with their eyes on Rosetta. A white light surrounded her body, and when i blinked, i was suddenly in the ring with a huge four-legged tiger. Almost as if it had come out the jungle itself, though it was bigger than a normal tiger.

"Shit." I muttered, and backed up some more. I was now in the very center of the ring, as Rosetta stalked me. She went in circlles around me, and i used my ears to their fullest, concentrating only on the sound of her paws padding on the floor. My heart was thudding, and i had a feeling that Rosetta was working on nothing but instincts. Meaning she had no restraining power. That was why Zee was silently freaking out.

She stopped in front of me, and took two bounds before leaping into the air at me. I screamed and flew up into the air. The tiger landed on all fours, and turned and ran towards the end of the ring. I glanced down at her, wondering what she'd do. She began running across the ring, her stride making it easy to make it across in less than a minute.

She reached the edge of the ring, and leaped off of it, flinging herself into the air. I didn't realize i wasn't as high off the ground as i should have been, and i screamed when i realized that she was now rushing towards me. I couldn't think, or move, as she slammed into me. Her front legs wrapped around my shoulders, as i felt five long, extremely sharp claws dig themselves into my back, under the base of my wings. I scramed out in pain as she placed her back claws on each of my hips, and dug her claws into them and scraped them downwards.

I screamed out in more pain as i hit the ground, pieces of ground flying up around us as i made a small crator. I layed still, gasping for breath as the tiger put her weight on me, and dug her claws deeper into me. I huffed out a gust of air, trying to regain some breathing room, and glared up at her. Her fangs were barred, towards my face, and i suddenly saw red.

Bright light surrounded my right forearm, and i slammed it into the side of the tiger's face. She flew out of the crator and hit the ground, and i got up and jumped back into the ring. I couldn't feel the cuts anymore, and i was still seeing red. I was extremely pissed off, but it was more than that. I was on my knees, my whole body shaking and shivering as i laid my forehead on the ground as my body writhed i a type of pain.

I was breathing heavily, and the tiger was watching me, almost curious. I would randomly yell out, before i looked up. I wasn't sure what it was that triggered it, maybe it was because the tiger was standing there, waiting to attack me. But i couldn't take it anymore, as my eyes narrowed and something inside of me snapped.

"What the-!?" Zee started, his eyes widening. The boys looked at him, curious and confused, before looking back at me. My body was still shivering, and my breathing came out in angry gasps. I ran forward with a sudden burst of speed, and suddenly realized i was running on all four legs. I stopped short, and looked down, to see two huge furry legs and paws. The fur was black, with a red tint to it. I looked back over at Yusuke, who was staring at me with a look of complete shock on his face.

"Ayumi...you're...a wolf." He said, shaking slightly. My eyes were a fiery orange color, and i no longer had my wings. I was a huge, massive wolf. The same size as Rosetta actually. I had my teeth barred, as the tiger braced herself. I ran forward again, and she ran towards me. We met in the middle, jumping up into the air and slamming into each other. She clawed at me, while i clawed at her and bit onto her right shoulder. She let out a loud howl of pain and pushed me away.

We both landed on our feet and were heading towards each other again, my tail swishing it's way back and forth. We crashed into each other once more, before a bright light surrounded both of us. We were in our anthro forms again, and were shoved away from one another. I fell against the concrete, my clothes in almost tatters, and rolled until my head banged against the concrete. I was unconscious.

---------------

A bright white light surrounded me, and the only thing i could see was the tree i was sitting in. I pushed myself up, and winced at the pain in my back. Hiei was standing in front of me, his eyes had a far off look to him, and just looking at him i could tell he wasn't himself. Yusuke was suddenly there too, to my right and standing just like Hiei.

"Guys? What's going on?" I asked, looking around. My voice seemed to echo, as i looked at my surroundings.

"You've let loose that beast." Yusuke said, in a far off voice. My eyebrows furrowed in confusiong. "That...beast?" I asked, completely confused. Hiei looked down at me, his eyes still far off.

"Yes. That beast...it is a version of you?" He asked, questioningly. I could only nod. "Do you know what you are?" He asked indifferently, and i shook my head no. I blinked, and i was suddenly standing in the living room. Now i was surrounded by Hiei and Kurama.

"Never before has one being controlled a major element, and a major beast." Kurama said, turning away from me slightly. "And that's a problem?" I asked, trying not to let myself get freaked out. I turned to follow Kurama, but was now standing in Koenma's office. With Kuwabara and Koenma.

"Not a problem. Just different." Koenma said, his head cocking to the side. "Different? So...who are you guys? And where am i?" I asked, kind of scared. "You are where you believe yourself to be." Kuwabara said. Everybody's voice and posture was the same. Echoed, and far off and distant. Almost as if they were hypnotized.

"I know i'm not really in Koenma's office. Am i dreaming?" I asked. "Dreaming? What is that?" Koenma asked. "Dreaming...it's what people do when they are sleeping." I said, confused again.  
"Sleeping...what is that?" Kuwabara asked. "When people need to rest...when they need to be unconscious for a while to recharge themselves." I said, wondering what was going on.

"Humans need to recharge?" Kuwabara asked. I nodded. "Yes, otherwise they can't function properly. Who and what are you?" I asked, turning around again. I was in the meadow, with Hiei and my grandfather. "What do you think we are?" Hiei asked. "Uh...do you have anything to do with the oracle side of me?" I asked.  
"Supposedly." My grandfather said. "If this is a premonition, what do you wish to tell me?" I asked.

"No. That is not our purpose. If you are here, you must be here to ask the questions. We give you our answer." Hiei said. "Who is we?" I asked. "We...humans are a type of entity. They use articles to describe when it is one, or more people in a party. In this setting, there are two of us, and one of you. We...meaning myself and the figure next to me." Hiei said.  
"Okay...so you guys aren't human...are you guys oracles in human bodies? The human bodies that i know?"

"We believe that is how we made contact." My grandfather said. "So i'm supposed to ask you a question?" I asked. "Do you need to?" Hiei asked me. "What happens now?" I finally asked. They were quiet for a minute.

"Now...you wake up." Hiei said, and then it was black.


	28. This Kiss

_**Tremble For My Beloved **__**  
**__**::Chapter Twenty-Eight; This Kiss::**_

* * *

I woke up in the hospital, to bright lights shining on my face. "Ugh..." I muttered, turning to roll on my sides. I was pretty sore, and i could feel bandages wrapped around my torso and thighs, but other then that, i was okay.  
I groaned and sat up, looking around. Yusuke was standing there, and i gave him a weird look as he had a far off look on his face. I wasn't still having a premonition was i?

"Yusuke?" I asked. He snapped out of it and looked down at me, a grin on his face. "Oh hey! About time you woke up, slacker!" He said, ruffling my hair. I breathed a sigh of relief and smiled up at him. "How long have i been out?" I asked, grabbing his head. He held it in his for a minute before answering.  
"Well...you started fighting around 2 PM.....it's now 10 AM so...uh....yeah you do the math." He said. I blinked a few times before giggling at him, and laying my head down on his hand. I missed hanging out with him, the dude was my best friend and i felt like i hardly saw him anymore.

"Yusuke..." I started, feeling a little sleepy. "Yeah?" He asked, sitting down next to the bed and rubbing my hair with his free hand. "You remember what we use to do when we were kids, and we got really tired of our folks?" I asked, stifling a yawn. He was quiet for a minute, before chuckling. "Yeah. We use to meet halfway and set up a small camp site and just stay up all night." He said. I smiled at the memory, and started drifting back to sleep.

"Yusuke..." I started, my voice quieter. "Yes, sleepy head?" He asked. "We're doing that again soon. Like tomorrow night. Okay?" I asked, already half asleep. I could hear him laughing and feel him ruffling my hair. "You got it kiddo." He said softly. "Love you..." I mumbled. "Love you too squirt." He said, and then i passed out again.

-------

A few hours passed before i woke up again, and i sat up in my own bed now. I blinked and looked around, yawning as the sun made it's way through my curtains. I stretched, working out the kinks and the soreness, before sighing and getting out of bed.  
I went into the bathroom to survey the damage, almost laughed when i realized how bad my thighs were scratched up. "Oh well..." I said to myself, before stripping down and stepping into the hot water. I laid my head on the wall for a while, just letting the hot water relax my muscles before i actually did anything.

After my shower, i changed into a pair of blue jean knee-length shorts, and a black tank top with the words 'Hey Cutie' written across it. I left my hair down, and headed downstairs. I walked into the kitchen to get something to eat, and then i realized something.  
When i walked into the kitchen, i had to manuvear myself carefully, other wise my wings just banged against the sides of the door. But today, i went in smoothly, without any issues.

I blinked a few times, before lifting my hand and reaching behind me. My hands grasped onto nothing but air. My eyes widened, and i started screaming. Yusuke was there in a second, followed by Kurama and Kuwabara. "What!?" He asked, grabbing a hold of me.

"Where the hell are my wings!!!???" I yelled out, turning around to show him. He stared at my back for a few moments, and then motioned for Kurama to take a look. Kurama stepped forward, and lightly traced his finger where my wings use to be. "You still have them Ayumi. No need to worry. You've just finally managed to put them away when you have no need for them."  
Kurama said tentively. "Uh, okay yeah, i don't remember doing that. And how do i get them back out?" I asked, folding my arms.

"Uh...well...ii don't know that one. You have to figure it out on your own. But try not to worry too much, if you closed them by yourself, you'll find a way to open them back up as well." He said, turning to leave.  
I sighed and grumbled a bit, before pushing Yusuke and Kuwabara away from me and heading into the kitchen. I grabbed a bagel, covered in cream cheese, and a glass of milk. I ate quickly, and then went back upstairs to quickly brush my teeth.

I hopped back down the stairs and into the living room, where everybody, with the exception of Hiei, was sitting in a circle on the floor. "Ayumi! We're playing truth or dare! Wanna play?" Yusuke asked. I grinned and ran over to him, sitting next to him. "I love this game!!!" I yelled out, laughing as Yusuke made a face at me. "Are you going to join us Hiei? Or are you going to be a party pooper?" I asked. Hiei turned his head, only to glare at me of course.

"I will not play such a stupid game." He said, and then vanished. "Hmph. Can't say i never invited the jerk to do anything. JERK!" I called out randomly, causing the boys to chuckle at me. "Alright, i'm going first. Kuwabara, truth or dare!?" I asked him. He was quiet for a minute as he thought about it.

"Hmm...dare!!!!" He said. I grinned, almost laughing evily. "Kuwabara, inside the closet in my bedroom, hanging on the back of the door is a hideous dress that i'm assuming Botan bought me, it's quite horrendous and it scares me and it's too big for me. But...it's just your size. I want you to go upstairs, and put it on, and come back down here to finish playing." I said. Yusuke was on the floor laughing, and i couldn't help but grin as Kuwabara made a face.

"Aww...Ayumi! I don't wanna wear a dress!!!" He whined. I shrugged and gave him a little nudge towards the stairs. "Then you shouldn't have picked dare!" I said as he trudged his way up the stairs. I sat back down and chuckled at myself before looking at Yusuke. "Alright, while we're waiting, Yusuke it's your turn." I said.  
He gave me a sweet smile, before contorting his face into his infamous monkey face. I blinked a few times before laughing. "Truth or dare Ayumi!?" He asked me, totally serious.

"Uh, dare. Duh." I said, wondering what Yusuke would make me do. He was silent for a minute, beofre grinning an evil grin. "In my room..." He started. "Oh no...this isn't good." I said. He just laughed and continued talking. "In my room...you'll find all the tools that you need. I want to get Hiei back for never joining us and always being such a jerk. And you have the ability to do it too. Anyways, i want you to find all the tools you need, and then set up a trap in Hiei's room. So when he walks through, he's lifted up into the air. Or something along those lines, get creative. And i suggest you do it fast." He said.

I gaped at him, and then grinned. It was brilliant. Kuwabara came down the stairs then, in an ugly yellow dress, and all three of us, including Kurama, were rolling on the floor laughing until we couldn't breathe. "Smile for Hiei!" I said, taking a snap shot of Kuwabara with my camera. I'd figure this might cheer him up just a bit after i trapped him.

"Okay guys, wish me luck! Fill Kuwabara in!" I yelled, running up the stairs. I headed straight into Yusuke's room and looked around. Walking into his room was like walking into a warehouse with anything and everything, and a thrift store. I shook my head and began looking around. Throwing things here and there, i managed to find the perfect items. A pulley, two ropes, a net, a switch, and a trigger.  
I grinned and ran to Hiei's room, peeking in. He wasn't inside of it of course, and i walked over to the window very carefully and peered out. Hiei was training, which meant he wouldn't be in for a while.

I had to keep the lights out, but i still grinned. I worked methodically and swiftly. I set up the triggers on the window and by the door. That way if he came in either way it would work. I set up the pully in the center of the room, the ropes moving from the pulley around the window, and around the door frame. I attached the switches to the net, and then the switches to the ropes on the pulley.  
I laid it down carefully on the floor, and carefully walked around to avoid the trap. I looked at the clock on his bedside table, knowing he'd come inside soon. So all i had to do was wait.

I masked my energy and smell completely, and i also put a light around the trap to hide the smell. The light disappeared, though it still masked the smell. I then chose to hide inside his closet.

I left is slightly open, the way he had it before he left, so i wouldn't cause suspicsion. I sat lightly on my feet, and only had to way a few minutes before Hiei entered the window. I held my breath, as he sat in the room for a minute, looking around. His eyes hadn't adjusted quite yet, so i knew he couldn't see. He only need to take one step furhter in to pull the trigger.  
He finally did move forward, setting off the timed trigger. He made it to the middle of the room, as soon as the net went off.

It lifted up, taking Hiei with it and wrapping it shut at the top. The only thing that wasn't in the net, was his head. He was struggling, and i started laughing as i walked out of the closet and in front of him. He was glaring death daggers at me, but i was still grinning. "Hey now, don't get mad at me. We were playing truth or dare, and Yusuke dared me to do this. Blame him." I said smirking.  
I held up my camera and took a snap shot at the now yelling and cursing Hiei. I turned around to leave, seeing as how i only had a few minutes of a head start before he busted free and murdered me. But something stopped me.

I stopped at his doorway and turned to look at him. He wasn't wearing a shirt, and his pants were slightly tattered. He was covered in sweat, yet there was something about him that i couldn't tear my eyes away from. The sun made it's way into the bedroom, and with a little tug of my hand it made it's way over Hiei's form perfectly. I couldn't help but stare at him and move a little closer to him.

"What are you doing Onna? I suggest you start running because the second i get out of here-" He started, but i cut him off. "I know, i know. You'll kill me where i stand. I get it...i just....wanna see something..." I said, moving closer to him. Hiei stopped struggling momentarily when i had gotten as close as i had, and he moved his head slightly back.  
"What?" He asked, looking around. I couldn't help but blush, but yet i still couldn't leave. "I don't know...there's just something...." I started, my voice growing softer.

"Onna. Release me from this damn thing. Now." He stated, his eyes narrowing. "But then you'll kill me." I stated. "That's the idea. Now release me." He said, struggling again. "I can't do that...that'd be no fun." I said, moving closer. Without thinking, Hiei moved his head forward.  
I know he meant to get in my face and yell and intimidate me, but that caused the complete opposite reaction in me.

"Onna!!! Let me g-" He started, but stopped when i placed a hand on his face. "Now what are you doing?" He asked, a look of sheer danger on his face. My heart started racing, and i couldn't seem to think straight. "Just...don't move. And don't get mad..." I said quietly.  
He gave me a look and started to say something, but i cut him off by pressing my lips against his. He was surprised for a moment, and he didn't kiss me back, but he didn't pull away either. He just sat there, most likely stunned.

I moved back away from him, my hand over my lips, and my eyes wide as i stared at him. He was staring back at me, shocked, until his usual glare returned. "I'm going to kill you." He said, his voice dark. "Ahahha...yeah....gotta go!" I yelled, turning to run out of the room. I ran down the stairs, my face completely red as i ran past Yusuke and Kurama and Kuwabara, who was still wearing a dress. "Gotta go! Hiei's gonna kill me! If i don't make it back before nightfall, save yourself! Cause i kinda dropped your name. Love you!!!" I yelled, running past him and out the door, heading into the forest.

I knew i didn't have very long. Hiei was faster than any of us put together, but i was still running as fast as i could towards the meadow. I looked back, and screamed when i saw Hiei coming up on me fast. I pushed myself foward, knowing i wasn't going to make it.

I was right.


	29. Addicted

_**Tremble For My Beloved  
**__**::Chapter Twenty-Nine; Addicted::**_

* * *

Hiei slammed into my back, pushing us the rest of the way into the meadow. He crashed into me going so fast, we were actually tumbling our way through the meadow. We finally stopped in the middle, and lifted my leg up to kick him in the side. He yelled out and fell off of me, and i rolled away and attempted to get up. It didn't go so well. Hiei was up in a millisecond, and he charged me again.  
He smashed into me, and knocked me to the ground. He grabbed my hands and pinned them over my head, and stradled me. "What the hell was that?" He asked, his voice low and his eyes narrow.

I squirmed around for a second. "Uh...well...which part? The tying you up part? Or...the kissing you part?" I asked in my best innocent voice. His eyes only narrowed further. "Both." He said through clenched teeth. "Well...like i said....we were playing truth or dare and Yusuke dared me to do it. It's as simple as that. As for...kissing you...i don't know. I just wanted to." I said, my voice kind of soft. I narrowed my eyes though, not wanting to drop the subject. I decided to be my usual stubborn self.

"What's it to you anyways?" I asked, making a clear tone of annoyance in my voice as i pushed myself up. I flipped him over quicker than he expected, a trick i learned from Rosetta, and i was now straddling him. "What do you mean what's it to me? It was me you kissed, Onna." He said, glaring at me.  
I rolled my eyes and pinned his hands over his head. "Oh please. You didn't resist, and you didn't pull away. You liked it, and you know it." I said. He glared at me, and flipped us back over.

"And what makes you so sure?" He asked, taunting me. My eyes were almost in slits now as i glared at him. "Because you didn't pull away. Common sense here buddy." I said, my voice icy. "Hn. I didn't pull away because i was shocked. Don't think it was because it was you." He said.  
I glared at him, and went to flip him over. But instead, i used my now free arm to knock him in the side of the head with my forearm. He fell off of me and rolled over, now facing me.

"You liked it. Don't even try to deny it just because you have a reputation to uphold." I said. His eyes narrowed again, he didn't like me picking at his personality, nor his background. He growled at me and ran forward, i attempted to dodge and failed horribly. What was coming after me, was only his after image.  
Hiei was now behind me, and he tackled me to the ground. I yelled out in frustration, and flipped over, only to have Hiei straddling me again. This time, he only glared for a second, before he pinned my hands above my head and crashed his lips onto mine.

I was the one in shock for a moment, but it didn't take me near as long to recover as Hiei did. I was going to show him too. I managed to release wrist from his hand, and i moved them around his neck and into the back of his hair, pulling him closer. His own hands reached around to push my back upwards, pushing me into him. I gently flipped us over as i deepened the kiss, Hiei complying willingly.

The smell of burning wood and ashes filled my nose, and to be honest it was quite intoxicating. I pushed myself closer to him as he flipped us over and he deepened the kiss even more. I was beginning to get a little light headed and dizzy when he stopped cold, i did too.  
Both of our eyes seemed to widen, as we let go of each other. His lips didn't leave mine though, they were still resting on top of them. Both of our breaths were coming out jaggedly, and i just now realized how loud and fast my heart was beating.

Hiei placed his lips more firmly onto mine, softly at first, and then harder. I eagerly kissed him back, when he pulled back and looked at me. "If you say you didn't enjoy that i swear, i'll just kick you in the nuts." I said, a small smirk on my face. He smirked back, and helped me up. "I wasn't going to say that." He said, turning to leave.  
He stopped though, his back facing me. "Onna..." He said. "Hm?" I asked, still kind of dazed. "I'm going to go kill the detective now...if you tell anybody, i'll slit your throat." He said dangerously.

I grinned and shook my head.  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." I said. He didn't move for a second, before he shook his head. He disappeared then, and i sat down on the grass, my knees almost completely giving out. My hands moved to my lips as i touched them, i could still feel his on mine, and my heart was still pounding.

"What the hell was that?" I asked myself quietly. I couldn't believe that i just had a heated make out session with Hiei, of all people. I got up, still on slight shaky legs, and slowly walked towards the house. I could still smell him, and it was still just as intoxicating. "What the hell is wrong with me?" I asked myself quietly, shaking my head as if to clear it.  
I made my way inside, and saw Yusuke pouting on the couch, a slight burn mark on his face. I couldn't help but giggle at him, and that giggle turned into full blown out laughter as i realized Kuwabara was _still _in that dress.

"Oh my god! I almost forgot!!!! Hiei! Since you left us to play truth or dare on our own, i thought i'd take a picture for you, of Kuwabara, so i can show you how much fun you're missing!" I said, pulling the picture of Kuwabara, posing in the dress at the foot of the stairs,out of my back pocket. I walked over to Hiei, who was sitting at the window sill and staring at me.  
I didn't want to look him in the eyes, even though i could feel his gaze on my face. I handed him the picture, and felt his eyes leave mine as i finally looked at his face. He was staring down at the picture, a slight smile on his face as he attempted to hold in a chuckle.  
"See. I told you! You were missing out." I said, a small smile on my face. His gaze flicked over to mine for a second, before landing back on the picture. "I refuse to participate in such foolish acts. I will however, next time, be a spectator. This is funny." He said, a small smile on his face as he lightly laughed.  
I couldn't help but cock my head to the side and listen to it. It was lighter, happy laugh, and something that i couldn't see coming from Hiei. I shook my head, a smile on my face as i walked back towards the back door. "Okay! So, who's training me now?" I asked, looking out the back window.

The sky was getting a little darker, but i still wanted to train. Hiei said i should be training until i couldn't take it anymore, and right now, i could take a lot more than a beating from an enlarged cat. "Hn. If that's how you feel, i'll break you myself." Hiei said, now standing behind me.  
I jumped up and squeaked, turning around and glaring at him. "First off, STAY OUT OF MY HEAD! Secondly, WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR!? and thirdly, IN YOUR DREAMS THREE-HORN!" I yelled out at him. He covered his ears when i yell, and cringed away from me, but i knew he was amused.

He led me out onto the back yard, completely ignoring my first two request, and stood in the center of the ring. "I will be testing your will power, and your endurance." He said. I was a little nervous as i entered the ring, but i knew Hiei would take care of me...and hopefully not hurt me too bad. I had to suck it up though, so i toughed up and stood in front of him.

"I want you to kneel down." He said. I gave him a weird look, before kneeling down. "Cross your arms in front of you, formning an X." He told me. I followed his instructions, and looked up at him. "You're going to want to keep your face hidden behind that X." He said. I nodded, and placed my face under cover. This is a high defensive position, and i wondered what he was going to do.

"Aw man, Hiei! You seriously gotta do that to her NOW!? Grandma waited at least a month before she did that to me." Yusuke said, crossing his arms. Hiei glared back up at him, and crossed his arms. "She's not you, detective." Was all he said, before looking back down at me. "I have an attack, called the Fist of Immortal Flames.  
Considering how you're a Sun Maiden, the flame shouldn't actually hurt, but the force will be like a massive spirit energy punch. I'm going to hit you, over and over again. What i want from you, is to not be able to move from that very spot, like that. I want to be able to hit you, full force, and you not budge an inch." Hiei said. "Your entensive training starts now, by the end of this, i will have you broken." Hiei finished.

I looked back up at Hiei, my eyes wide and i stared at him in disbelief. "You can't be serious?" I asked. He glared down at me. "Does it look like i'm kidding, Onna?" He asked. "I told you, i was going to be hard on you. Harder than the others. In fact, i'm sure by the end of this you're going to attempt to kill me in my sleep." He said, his voice low.  
"Tch. Yeah, right. Like i'm that much of a coward, i'd rather kill you while you're looking at me." I said back. Hiei smirked and stood up. "Hn. Good answer." He said, before holding his hand up and letting his hand be engulfed in black and green flames.

I shut my eyes, and braced myself for impact. "Fist of Immortal Flames!" I heard Hiei called, as his face came at my face. I hid behind my X, and screamed as the force of Hiei's punch tore into my skin and put serious amounts of pressure on the bones in my forearm.  
Not only that, i flew backwards to the other side of the ring. I skidded to a halt, and tried to regain my breathing, and the feeling in my arms. "Get back in the center of the ring. Same position. Now." Hiei said harshly. I looked back up at him, and slowly got up, walking to the center of the ring and going into the position.

He held his fist up, more flames, and another punch. This time, i could hear the first layer of bone crunching under pressure. I screamed out in pain, and flew back to the other side of the ring again. My body was shaking and my arms were pulsating. "Get back in the center. Now." Hiei said.  
I got up, wincing from the pain in my arms, and got in the center of the ring. I kneeled, crossed my arms, and covered my faith. "Hiei...how long will we do this?" I asked, wanting to make sure of his answer.

"Until you don't move." He said, confirming that it was going to be a long night.


	30. My Sacrifice

_**Tremble For My Beloved  
**__**::Chapter Thirty; My Sacrifice::**_

* * *

I was now falling backwards onto my back when Hiei's Fist of Immortal Flames rammed into my arms. I lay on my back, looking up at the sun coming up over the horizon of the mountains in the distance, trying to ignore the throbbing pain my forearms.  
I couldn't move them, what so ever. About halfway through the training, Hiei had told me the bones were completely shattered. I was only able to reposition them into my X stance with my upper arms, and which meant parts of my face were being hit too.

My breathing was coming out in jagged gasps, as i tried to concentrate on the sun coming up. It seemed to encourage me, and push me foward. "You almost got it, Onna. Back in the center. A few more times, and you won't budge." Hiei said, and i knew he had a smirk on his face.  
I suspected he was proud, and i was too. If he hadn't been doing this, my endurance would have sucked.

I manged to roll forward onto my stomach, and then up on my knees as i turned around to face Hiei again. I couldn't put any pressure on my hands, due to the fact that my forearm bones were shattered. I used the muscles in my shoulder and upper arm, and re-positioned my X stance. Hiei backed up a bit, and lit his fist on fire again. He ran towards me, and punched forward, directly in the middle of my 'X'.  
I screamed out in pain, which i always did. I was beginning to take pain, and i may be a maiden and tough, but when something hurt, it friggin hurt. And there wasn't anything i could do about it. So i took the pain, and didn't mind the fact that i yelled out.

I fell onto my back, and was once again staring up at the hues of dark purple and blue of the sky as the sun slowly crept it's way over the mountain sides. Yusuke had stayed the entire time, not budging an inch, and keeping his face on mine. I don't know how he did it; i couldn't sit back and watch him do this. "Back in the center." Hiei said. I didn't mind listening to his voice, after listening to him say the same thing over and over again, it began to sound at least somewhat encouraging in my ears. That, and i liked the sound of his voice. I shook the thought from my head though, knowing i shouldn't start thinking about that at a time like this.

I got back up in the center, finally realizing how tired i was. The sun rose a little higher behind the moutains, and i reached out to pull slight energy from it. The rays found their way to shine over me, as a soft glow surrounded my skin. Hiei smirked, as his fist engulfed in flames again.  
His fist shot forward, and i used every ounce of strength i had, and felt his fist come into contact with my shattered forearms. I screamed out in pain, and opened my eyes.

I was still sitting, facing Hiei, in my 'X' position. He hit me, and i hadn't moved. He smirked and stood up, crossing his arms. "You were quicker than i thought you were. Not bad, for an onna." Hiei said.  
I smirked and looked up at him, letting my arms fall limp. "I'll take that as a compliment. You jerk." I said, falling backwards. I didn't hit the concrete like i thought i would, as i was now staring up into a set of warm, chocolate brown eyes. I grinned as he set his forehead against mine.

"Hey you loser. You did a good job. It took me two days to not be able to move when Genkai started shooting her spirit gun at me." Yusuke said. I smiled and yawned sleepily, wanting to desperately sleep. It was then that i became quite aware of the pain in my arms. "Ow! UGH!" I yelled out, letting a few tears escape my face. The shock of going through an endurance training like that finally set in, like i knew it would.

It wasn't so bad though, Yusuke eyed Hiei and motioned for him to come help. For some reason, because of my size and Hiei's size being roughly the same, he was the only one who could pick me up and make me completely comfortable so i couldn't feel my wounds.  
He did this yet again, and held me against him as he made his way off of the training arena.

"So, i wasn't so bad?" I asked, laying my head against his chest. "If you're fishing for compliments, you're talking to the wrong person." He said stubbornly. I rolled my eyes, before yawning and looking up at him. "So, what's next?" I asked, honestly curious. "Well, next is your strength test. After that, you're gonna go through another endurance test. I'll be doing the same thing, only this time i'll have a running start before i hit you." He said. I stared up at him in disbelief, and he caught the look on my face when i was quiet.

"What?" He asked, almost stopping. "You're a masochist. That's what." I said, dry humor hanging from my voice. He thought about that for a minute before smirking. "You say masochist like it's a bad thing." He said, before walking into a portal. "You don't usually talk this much, what's wrong with you? Are you sick?" I asked. He looked down at me, before acknowledging Koenma and heading through the side door to the infirmary.

"You don't like it when i don't talk." He said. I gazed up at him, and then glared. "Oh yeah? And you would know this how?" I asked, already knowing the answer. He pursed his lips for a second, a look of amusement on his face as he didn't answer. "Yeah, that's what i thought." I mumbled, looking away from him. "And no, i'm not sick. I'm actually talking to keep myself awake. You did the hard work, and took far more damage, but hitting you with darkness flames over and over again, drained my energy." He said. I looked up at him and grinned.

"Stop smiling like that." He said, looking a little creeped out. "Shut up. I'm enjoying the fact that you had to deal with at least something sort of bad." I said, laying my head back against his chest. I could almost feel him glaring down at me, but ignored it and just concentrating on ignoring the pain in my arms.

"Sorry about that..your arms i mean." Hiei said, opening the door to the room i was to be staying in. "Hah. No you're not. You enjoyed yourself." I said smiling. "Hn." Was all he said as he placed me down on the bed. He pushed the button over my head that signaled for the nurses and doctors to come in, they'd be here momentarily. He turned to leave, and i tried to reach out to his hand, and then yelled out in pain as i realized i couldn't move my arm. That got his attention though as he looked back at me, and saw me holding my arm and staring at him.

"Baka onna." He said, a smirk on his face. I winked at him and then sat back in the bed. "Hiei...what are we doing? What are we...going to do?" I asked him. He was silent for a minute, before turning to look out the window. "You're talking about what happened in the forest...." He said, not looking at me. I looked at his back, wondering what to say. I didn't want to say the wrong thing, and have him leave because he felt uncomfortable.

I sighed and looked down at my hands, still feeling confused. I liked what happened in the forest, and i was beginning to think i liked Hiei. But the problem was...it was Hiei. Unloving, cold and hateful Hiei. Hiei, who tries as hard as he can to stay away from dealing with humans and their 'feelings'.  
But there was something about him...something about the guarded look in his eyes when he's avoiding people. The hidden motive behind his movements, and the way he spoke of the other guys, even if he was insulting them...it was the undertone of knowing they were all he had.

Of course, i'd never say this outloud, and Hiei was waiting for a response. "Yes...that's what i mean..." I said quietly. He moved to the window and opened it, and jumped onto the sill so he could leave. "We'll see where that goes. However, when we're in the ring, i am your trainer. Not your friend, or anything elese for that matter." He said. I nodded and laid my head back. "I know that." I said, looking away from him, and to the door.

"Do not ask too much from me." Was all Hiei said before he left.  
I whipped my head back around, to stare incredulously at the empty space that was now there. And i let out a huff of air. "I wasn't going to..." I said, to nobody in particular.

The doctors came in then, and almost at once started flipping out at the state my forearms were in. The skin was dented inwards, and outwards in some places, and there was a purplish tint to my skin. Bone fragments were sticking out here and there, and as the doctors began to sedate me, i couldn't help but think of what he said. "Don't ask too much from me." _'I wouldn't...' _was all i thought, before i went under.

--------

_  
"Hiei...what are we doing? What are we...going to do?" I thought of her question in my head, not paying attention to the Oaf or the Fox as i made my way up the stairs to my room. I went in, and shut the door and locked it, standing in the darkness for a minute. I took a look around my room, and took in a deep breath._

I am familar with this, with darkness. I am familiar with being alone, and not bothered. I have no patience or need for anything other than what i am familiar with. It's bad enough i'm stuck here working with the detective and his goons, it's another thing that i did what i did with Ayumi.

I let out a frustrated breath, and headed into the bathroom. I didn't turn on any lights, i was tired of the light. I wanted the dark that i'm familiar with. The dark that i've lived in for most of my life. I turned on the shower water, completely cold. No heat. No light. I stripped down, and stepped in, my muscles flexing and twitching in response to the cold water, and began bathing myself.

I couldn't deal with this, and i couldn't deal with the team. I respected Kurama, he was the closest person to a 'friend' that i have. Even then, he annoys me when he thinks he can get inside my head. Nobody can get inside my head, i'm the telepath.  
Kuwabara...hah. The one and only thing i respect about Kuwabara is his will to stand back up, under the worst circumstances. Other then that, that man is the biggest fool i've ever met.

I respect Yusuke, more than anyone else. The way Yusuke works is something i've never seen in any demon, or human before. The more he gets beat down, the more he gets taunted, the more his friends get hurt, the stronger he gets. The fact that he beat me, when his was at the point where it was nothing compared to mine, earned him my respect. There were times when i could tolerate Yusuke, and times that i've wanted to break his neck. Nothing more then that though. A companionship, not a friendship.

I was breathing heavy now, and because i'm a fire demon, heat rolled off my body. The cold water splashed onto me, creating steam as it came in contact with my now heated body. I knew i needed to calm down, i was having a type of breakdown, when i did this, i didn't have any control over it. I fell to my knees, and slammed my head into the tiled wall in front of me, hearing a small crack in it.

There was a part of me, and i didn't know how dominant that part would become, that wanted to see Ayumi. See her fight, see her succeed, see her be who she is. A part of me, that wanted to do what happened in the forsest with her, over and over and over again. I didn't want that happening, i didn't need that happening. She was asking too much of me. I had to pull back from her, i had to be her trainer. Nothing more, nothing less.  
Whatever this attraction was that i now hold for her, can't turn into anything more than an attraction. I will not be a puppet. Ayumi stands for heat, she stands for light, she stands for good. I didn't want any of it.

My skin cooled down, and i could now feel the cold water hitting my skin again. I stood up, and regained my breathing. I felt drained, and tired. I needed to sleep. I finished washing, and stepped out. I kept the lights off, not wanting to deal with the light, and wrapped a towel around my waist.

I didn't need to dry off, i just heated my skin up, before cooling it back down. I pulled on a pair of black boxers, not even bothering with anything else. I didn't even put my bandana back over my Jagan, as i fell into my bed. I pulled the thin black satin sheet over me, and over my head.  
I wanted the darkness, and the cold. I needed to be inside my own mind, so when i woke up i could deal with this accordingly, and not foolishly.

Unintentionally, my Jagan reached out to Ayumi. It couldn't hurt to hear one more thing. _'I wouldn't...' _was the last thought she had before she went under. My eyes snapped open, as i stared at the blackness of my sheet. _"Don't ask too much of me."_ is what i said. I thought about her response before shaking my head to clear it, and shutting my eyes. Had to pull away, had to stop.

No heat. No light.


	31. Whisper

_**Tremble For My Beloved  
**__**::Chapter Thirty-One; Whisper::**_

* * *

My eyes fluttered open as i stared up at a ceiling, that was beginning to become a little too familiar too me. I groaned, and attempted to turn over, but winced at the pain that shot through my arms. "Oww.." i mumbled out, squeezing my eyes shut. "You know...you wouldn't hurt so much if you'd stop moving around, stupid." I heard Yusuke say quietly. His head was laying next to mine on the pillow, though he was sitting in a chair. I looked over at him and blinked a few times, before slowly sticking my tongue out, and blowing rasberry in his face.

He blinked a few times, and then moved his head back, to wipe my saliva off his face. "Eww...what was that for!?" He asked, glaring at me. I giggled and shrugged my shoulder. "I dunno...just wanted too..." I said quietly. I felt like crap, and my forearms were starting to pulsate. I closed my eyes, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep.

"How long have i been out?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "All day. It's the middle of the night now." Yusuke said, shrugging his shoulders. I nodded, and turned just my head to look out the window. "Is Hiei even up yet?" I asked, making sure my voice sounded indifferent. I really didn't want to tip Yusuke off on how i felt about Hiei.

"No. Actually, he hasn't. But we think he's going through a sort of temper trantrum right now." Yusuke said, huffing out air and laying his head on my pillow again. "A temper tantrum? What do you mean?" I asked, not hiding the confusion in my voice this time. "Well...right when he went upstairs...he made a lot of noise. There's probably a few cracks and holes in his walls from how hard he hit it or...whatever it was that he did." He said, his voice softening. I could hear that he was tired too, and i looked over to kiss him on the forehead.

"Go to sleep Yusuke." I mumbled, closing my eyes. Everything seemed to weight a ton the more i tried to stay awake. "Yes ma'am..." Was all Yusuke said, before he went silent. It didn't take me long to fall asleep either. As soon as i fell asleep, i was standing in a bright white room. There were no windows, and no doors. Just pure white walls. I could feel a pulse, and it took a moment to realize it was my pulse that was echoing around me.

I was having another premonition.  
"Hello?" I asked, my voice echoing, looking for the same people that were here last time. "The best girl is back." A monotonous voice said, i turned to see Yusuke, or rather, an oracle that looked like Yusuke, standing with his hands in his pockets. "You guys are trying to tell me something...you must be. Because i haven't asked a question." I said, turning around only to find Hiei standing there. "You don't know when you'll get a premonition. You are incapable of that knowledge. Even if it seems like you have nothing to ask, you have a question." He stated, turning from me.

I turned around to face Yusuke again, only to turn into another scene. We were in the hospital room, i was sitting up on the bed while Koenma stood at the end of it. "What is your question?" He asked, staring down at me. I frowned, not sure what to ask. I guess i could just ask about them, and what this was. That seemed to be the best way to go. "Why does this happen?" I asked him. The Koenma looking Oracle turned to face away from me, and then back to me again. "Follow." He said, walking away from the bed.

I stumbled out of the bed, and when i hit the floor the scene changed again. I stood up, noticing i was now in my bedroom. I looked around, and saw Kuwabara sitting on my bed. "You are a Maiden of the Sun." Kuwabara said, his voice chant like. I nodded.  
"Yeah, i know that." I said, wondering where this was going.

"The sun, is a passage way. Between all premonition or mystical beings. When you begin to have a premonition, you fall unconscious, and in a dream like state, we appear." Yusuke said, standing behind me. I turned to face him, to see him standing next to Kurama too. "Okay, so then...you guys are Oracles. Meaning...what exactly?" I asked. "We are the answers to your questions. Whatever questions you have, we have an answer. We are from the sun itself." Kurama said.

"Okay...so how long do i stay here? How much time has it been since this started?" I asked, looking at their faces. They contorted into a collective confused look, as Yusuke tilted his head. "Time? What is...time?" He asked, his voice curious.

I almost didn't know what to say, that was something you could just explain. But i knew i probably should. "Um...well...don't you guys know what time is? I mean...since you guys have answers." I said, hoping they'd know before i had to explain. "We do not concern ourselves with such trivial things. We have answers, to your questions. Not our own." Hiei said, standing beside me now. I looked up at him, and i couldn't stop my heart from beating a little quicker, even when i knew it wasn't Hiei.

I looked forward again, and we were now in Hiei's room. My heart sped up a little more, as Hiei was still standing next to me, giving me a curious look. "The form i am in now...who is it?" He asked. "You're in the form of Hiei...." I said, trying to calm myself a little bit. "Why does this...Hiei...make you react in such a way?" He asked. I almost blushed, but i looked away. "Because...i like him..." I said quietly.

"You...like him? Do you not like these other beings as well? Are they not your companions too?" He asked, his head tilting. "Huh? Oh, no no no. They are my friends, i love them all! But Hiei...i like him...in a certain way that i don't like the others. I think of the others as my friends...but Hiei....i like him as...more than a friend." I siad, trying to explain. "More? What could there be beside companionship?" He asked.

"Do you guys know what romance is?" I asked, curious now. If they didn't, i would be utterly shocked. "Romance...no. We do not." Yusuke said, curiosity on his face as well. "Oh my...well....romance is when you have strong feelings for another being. Strong feelings of wanting to be with them." I said, not sure if i was explaining this right.

Hiei gazed at me, and then turned to face Hiei's wall. He waved his hand in front of it, and it turned into a screen. It showed Hiei and me in the meadow, when we were kissing. My eyes widened as i started to really blush now, and turned away from it. "What are you two doing?" Hiei asked, looking back at me. "Kissing..." i could only mumble.

"What is the purpose for this...kissing?" Hiei asked. "That's what you do with somebody you really like. That's how humans show affection for one another...by touching and by kissing." I said, still not looking at the screen. "What does that do?" He asked, touching his lips. "Well..it feels good. It makes you happy." I said, taking in a breath and looked at Yusuke, who still looked a bit confused. "And to answer your question from before...time is how humans keep track of what they've done, and how long it took them to get it done." I said, really wanting to wake up now. I was feeling rather uncomfortable.

"That is trivial." Kuwabara said, standing next to Hiei now. "Yes well...to you maybe...but not for me. For me, it's important." I said, turning away from them. "Then...wake up." Yusuke said, coming to stand in front of me. "Huh?" I asked, feeling everything fading into that same white room i started out in. "Wake up..." Yusuke said, the monotone in his voice seemed to be slipping, and it was beginning to sound more like the Yusuke i knew.

"Ayumi...quit being lazy...wake up." I heard him say again. I blinked once, and then opened my eyes. I was in the hospital room, staring up at the ceiling, with Yusuke standing over me. "You've slept long enough you lazy butt. Get up." Yusuke said, a smile on his face.

I breathed out and sat up, looking around the room. I couldn't hear my pulse anymore, and i didn't feel like i was in a dream state. I must really be awake then. "Uh...hello..earth to Ayumi!? You okay?" He asked. I picked myself up, being careful to not put too much pressure on my forearms. They had healed nicely, i could feel it, but they were still tender and too much pressure could shatter the bone again. "Uh...yeah...i'm okay. Sorry...a little groggy. What time is it?" I asked, looking up at him.

"10:00 AM. You slept all day yesterday, and all through the night. You feeling any better?" He asked. I groaned, and placed a hand over my face. "Yeah, i'm feeling okay. I'm all sore..." I muttered, throwing the blankets off of me. I was in that stupid little night gown that patients wore, and i swore under my breath. "Easy killer. I'll take you home." He said, bending down to pick me up. I happily let him as he carried me down the hall to Koenma's office.

"Yo, binky-breath! We need a portal to take Ayumi home. She's not in a good mood, so i wouldn't mess with her." Yusuke said, a smirk on his face. Koenma rolled his eyes and waved his hand. "I hope you get to feeling better." Was all he said, before he begun stamping papers again. "Uh-huh. Thank you." I mumbled, as Yusuke took us through the portal.

We arrived in the living room where Kurama and Kuwabara greeted us accordingly, and i smiled and hugged them both and finally told Yusuke to put me down. My feet touched the ground and i rolled to the tip of my toes, then back to the heel to stretch my ankles out. I needed to go be in my gym, of course, a shower was in order first. I stepped up the stairs, careful of my arms, and hurried to my room. I stopped at Hiei's door and turned to look at it. Was he in there? Or was he outside? I sighed, and turned away from his room as i went into my own.

I went into my bathroom and tore the hospital's nightgown off of me, before turning my shower water on. I turned it on, scorching hot, and let the steam fill up the bathroom. I dimmed the lights in the bathroom down to a low though, i suddenly had a headache and didn't want to deal with the blinding bathroom lights. I stepped in and slowly washed my hair. I was still careful of my forearms, but the hot water felt good on them.

I then slowly washed my body, and then just let the hot water hit me until it began to run out. I turned off the shower, shivering from the sudden lack of heat, and stepped out. I wrapped a towel around myself, and left my bathroom. I was feeling extremely cold, and i wasn't sure why. I shivered some more as i made my way to my closet, and opened it. I changed into a pair of black sweat pants, and a red tank top. I quickly brushed out my hair, and headed over to my gym set. I didn't do too much, not wanting to risk my forearms, but enough to stretch out so i wasn't so sore. Mostly mat work.

I was still cold as i walked over to my bed and sat on it, moving to the middle and crossing my legs. I hugged my knees to my chest, and lay my head on my knees as i shut my eyes and tried to block out the cold. I didn't know why i was so cold, but in a matter of minutes my teeth were chattering. I lay backwards on the bed, and looked at my arms as i realized that i was shaking. My whole body was. My breathing got a little quicker as i started to slightly panic, wondering what was going on. I lay my head back on the bed and shut my eyes, as the cold seemed to seep into me and wrap around my heart. It squeezed tighter, and tighter, until i was gasping out for breath.

I started to shake really bad, and my body started flipping around on the bed. My eyes rolled into the back of my head as i yelled out as best as i could. The cold was becoming unbearable, as i fought to keep my breath from running short. My whole body was shivering and convulsing, as my eyes continued to roll into the back of my head.

My door suddenly flung open, and Hiei rushed to my side. Yusuke and the rest following behind him. "Ayumi! What's wrong!?" Yusuke asked, freaking out when he saw my body flipping around. "Oh god..is she having a seizure?" He asked, running to the other side of the bed by my head. Kurama looked down at me and frowned. "No...there's something else wrong." Kurama said, his voice quiet. Hiei lifted his hand and placed it on my face, before recoiling it in an instance. "She's freezing. Her whole body is colder than ice." He said, his eyes narrowing.

I was crying because of the pain now, as i gripped at my chest. "It's...so...cold..." I called out, almost blacking out completely. "Somebody, warm her up!" Yusuke yelled, grabbing the blankets out from under me. Hiei beat him though, and pulled his cloak off of him and laying it around me. The sudden heat burned against my ice cold skin and i cried out even more, but it wasn't enough to take the cold away completely. I was still burning from how cold it was on the inside.

Hiei sat on the bed next to me, and pulled his bandana off of his head, and then placed his hands on both sides of my face. He twitched from how cold my skin was, but other then that, begun concentrating. His Jagan opened, and now staring at me was a purple eye. It delved into my, and Hiei yelled out in pain at the sudden cold. He stayed in my head though, as his Jagan begun to work it's way through my body. It was heated, like Hiei was, and it begun to warm me up. He couldn't stay in very long, for whatever was in side of me pushed him out. He fell back, and sat back up, glaring at me.

"Demeter!" He yelled out, his voice angry.


	32. Torn

_**Tremble For My Beloved  
**__**::Chapter Thirty-Two; Torn::**_

* * *

Yusuke's face contorted into horror and anger as he realized Demeter was doing this to me. As for me, i was still ice cold, and in severe pain. The cold pull around my heart pulled even tighter as i gasped for breath, my hands trying to claw at my chest to rip my heart out of me. Kurama rushed to my side and pulled my hands down so they were firmly pressed to the bed.

"Hiei. You have to go back in and push him out." Kurama said, looking back at Hiei. Hiei gave him a look before glaring at him.

"I just tried. And look where that got me? My Jagan cannot reach her." He said, folding his arms. Kuwabara gave a grunt as he pushed past Yusuke and got into Hiei's face.

"Are you say you can't handle it, shrimp?" Kuwabara said, picking easily at Hiei's button. Hiei stood up straighter and glared at him.

"I can handle anyhing, oaf." Hiei said, a low hiss coming from his throat.

"Oh yeah? Well it looks like you can't even push a spirit out of a girl. Some telepath you are shorty." Kuwabara said, turning his back and taking his place back behind Yusuke.  
He waited for the bait to sink in, knowing Hiei would react to it. Kurama stared back at Kuwabara, and wondered if he was going to live through the night after this. I was still flopping like a fish on the bed, my skin becoming so cold it was almost unbearable. I wanted to scream for them to kill me, but i couldn't find my throat. I couldn't find anything. I heard them speaking, but i only heard muddled voices as i gasped to find any warmth around me.

"Once i take care of her, i will kill you." Hiei said, taking the bait and shoving Kurama out of the way. Kuwabara had a triumphant smirk on his face while Yusuke just came forward to hold my head still. Hiei's Jagan opened up as wide as it would go, and it begun to glow purple. Hiei put his hands on my forehead, and i welcomed the heat from his skin.

I could feel his mind delv into mine, and with it, brought heat. I welcomed that as well, as i tried as hard as i could to will myself to push the cold away from me. Hiei reached the center of my mind, and saw me sitting there. He was at my side in a flash, lifting me up off the ground. I wasn't wearing anything, so thankfully Hiei removed his coat and put it around me. I welcomed the heat of that as well, as my body shuttered as the heat battled against the cold.

[Authors Note: Hey guys! Sorry to completely interupt your reading, but i thought i should go ahead and explain something before i went any further! What you're reading from last paragraph and on, takes place inside of Ayumi's body. Not outside. On the outside, Ayumi's body is still on the bed, while the boys stand around her and try to hold her down. Hiei is still hovering over her, his body is there too, but his mind is inside with Ayumi. So from now until the end of the chapter, when i reference to something that Hiei and Ayumi are doing, please keep in mind that this isn't happening in real physical world, just in Ayumi's mind. And yes, anything done inside of her body, can effect the outside of it. Anyways, sorry to interupt again, gomen and ja ne!]

I stared around, shivering, wondering why Hiei was standing here with me and not anybody else.

"Hiei...what's happening?" I asked, shivering. He frowned at me and looked around, igniting his hands in flames.

"Demeter is in here. He's freezing you from the inside out. I have to find a way to get to him, but you're gonna have to help me." Hiei said, grabbing my hand and moving forward. We seemed to be on a deep blue looking platform, and it was dark all around us as he moved forward. The platform seemed to never end, and Hiei finally let my hand drop as he looked up. "Something's happening." He muttered, looking around.

There was a loud snap from the east, and i looked in that general direction. Suddenly, i was on the ground, holding my side and yelling out in pain. Of course, it wasn't the pain that my real body was actually feeling.

Kurama stared in horror as my body flipped even harder on the bed, before a sickening crap emitted from my rib cage. I screamed out in pain, able to find a voice for just a moment.

"KILL ME!!! NOW!!! PLEASE!" I screamed, tears lining my eyes as i gasped for breath.

"Kurama! What the hell just happened!?" Yusuke yelled, looking at me in horror and then back at Kurama.

"He's freezing her from the inside out. If Hiei doesn't hurry, she'll freeze. He's freezing her bones so hard that they're shattering." He said quietly. Yusuke squeezed his eyes shut as he laid his head next to mine.

"Dammit Ayumi. You can do this, help Hiei." He whispered fervently in my ear. I was standing next to Hiei, with the slight pain in my side as i heard everybody's voice echo in the air around us.

"Demeter is here, somewhere. We have to find him. We have to find your heart." Hiei said, grabbing my hand and dragging me east. Its' where the snapping noise came from, and so he guessed my heart would be in that general direction. "Can you find, anything?" Hiei snapped at me. I glanced at him, not entirely sure how to answer. I was confused and didn't know what was going on.

"I...i don't know. What am i...i can't...." I said, trying to feel for something inside myself. Of course i coudln't feel anything, because this wasn't actually my body. It was my mind, and i realized this as i placed my hand to my heart and realized i had no heart beat, or a heart for that matter.

"Hn. A lot of use you are." Hiei said coldly, heading east again. There was a bright light ahead of us, before we reached a large tunnel that was colored a deep red.

"My lung." I said absentmindedly, rubbing a bit at my chest. Hiei looked down at me before pushing me forward a bit.

"You know where you're going. You don't know how, i don't know how, but just walk." He said. I turned back to him, afraid, before nodding and following his instructions. I took a few lefts and rights, hoping i was going the right way. If we weren't, we were gonna run out of time. I could feel more of my bones trying to crack and shatter themselves as the cold became painful.

We came to a door then, and Hiei pushed me back and pushed it open. There, in the center of a red platform, was a man. He was wearing dress pants and dress shoes, and then he wore a white button down shirt, rolled up to his sleeves. He had long, shaggy dark hair that cut short at his bangs. His bangs fell into the jade color eyes, as his lips curled up over his teeth as he welcomed us.

"Ah...Ayumi and Hiei. So nice to see you. It was a bit toasty in here, so i turned on the AC. I hope you don't mind." He said, his voice was deep set and a bit rhaspy. I blinked at him, before feeling a pain rip at my other side. I yelled and fell to the ground, holding my side. I could hear the boys yelling again, apparently i'd broken two more ribs.

"You'll die." Hiei said, his voice cold. He moved forward at lightning speed, and stopped in front of Demeter, his sword drawn and at Demeter's throat. Demeter gazed at him, with an amused look on his face.

"Now, now. No reason to get so violent Hiei. You can't hurt me in here. I am a stronger telepath than you. I am able to pull Ayumi inside herself, and i am able to destroy her from the inside out. It was quite easy, all i did was have the minions that fought her in the forest leave a resedue on her. After she changed, that resedue acted as a carrier. The second she entered the room it entered her lungs, and all that was needed to activate it was a nice hot shower. From there, im sure you can figure out what happened. Now, considering how i can destroy you in here, i suggest you let me do my job." Demeter said, his voice cool and low as he looked back up at the ceiling.  
He was staring at the top of my heart, where a thin layer of ice was now covering the inner walls.

Hiei was glaring at Demeter, before a small smirk appeared on his face. Demeter eyed him, before turning to face him.

"You really are an idiot, aren't you?" Hiei asked, his voice sarcastic as he stared up at the ice.

"What are you talking about, you moron?" Demeter asked, his own voice filled with annoyance.

"Because you are a god of the Moon, you control all that is dark, and all that is cold. This, makes you a little slow." Hiei said, already slightly backing up from Demeter. Demeter's eyes narrowed as he stared at Hiei.

"I can still kill you. Besides, you aren't a strong enough telepath to get me away from here." Demeter said, resuming his work on freezing my heart. I was shivering on the floor, scared of what was going to happen. I was so confused, all i could do was just sit and watch.

"You'd have to catch me. And you're right, i can't stop you. But Ayumi can." He said, glaring up at him. My eyes widened as i stared at him, while Demeter began to laugh.

"That girl, cowering on the floor, can't even touch me." Demeter said, confidence ringing in his eyes. Hiei only smirked and held up his hand, and it ignited in fire.

"Ayumi has no power right now, because you're freezing her. She gets her power from the heat. Wanna know what i am? Living, breathing, heat." Hiei said, his smirk taking over his face.  
Demeter's eyes flashed with anger for a minute, and went to lunge at Hiei. "Ah, ah. That'll do you no good. I'm faster than you, inside here and outside here. Oh, and let's not forget you arrogant fool, if you lose your concentration, this puppet you've made of yourself will disappear." He said, motioning to Demeter's body.

Hiei ran as fast as he could, i almost couldn't see him anymore, as he darted around my heart. Touches of spaces where he flew by, were now dripping with cold, wet water. But it was warmer. I felt small waves of fresh air and heat roll over me, and i could feel myself regaining myself. I wasn't confused and clouded anymore, i was suddenly an extremely pissed off Sun Maiden.

My eyes turned a bright golden color, as a resounding growl emitted from my throat. Demeter was standing in the center, facing me. I knew this might be a bad idea, because i knew this wasn't the real Demeter. And as far as that went, he could test my skills and find defenses against them. But since he was no longer freezing my heart, i could feel my hatred for him around me in the air. And instead, i realized i _would _show him a taste of what was coming.

My fangs were barred now, as i ran forward. My wings sprouted from my back, tearing holes through Hiei's coat, and they beat exotically as the propelled me towards him. Hiei was still dashing around, trying to heat my heart up as fast as he could. He was doing a good job, i had to give him that much.

Demeter got into a fighting stance, and beckoned me forward.


	33. Hands to Heaven

**_Tremble For My Beloved  
_****_::Chapter Thirty-Three; Hands to Heaven::_**

* * *

I slammed into Demeter. We tumbled backwards and in mid-air he flipped me over so i hit the ground with my back. My wings spread out, before flapping backwards to propel me upwards. I yelled out, slamming my head into Demeters'. He yelled out and let go of me, stumbling backwards before glaring at me. I noticed Hiei's blur still moving around the walls of my heart.

It was pretty heated up now, and with the heat it brought my fury. I barred my fangs as i rushed Demeter, slamming into his stomach. He fell backwards, but grabbed my throat and took me with him. Halfway to the ground, he threw his fist forward and it connected with my face.  
I stumbled back, but regained myself, a deep growl emitting from my throat.

He rushed me this time, and as he drew near i held my right hand out, a soft golden glow appeared in a small ball in the palm of my hand, as it transformed into a whip. I lashed it outwards and it wrapped around Demeters' body. I yanked him forward, and met him halfway. I pulled my right arm back, and threw a right punch that would make Yusuke proud. I could actually feel the bone in his nose shatter beneath my fist.

"Bitch!" He yelled out, glaring at me as blood rushed out of his nose. I only glared at him as i motioned for him to come at me again. He rushed me, and shot his left hand out. A black ball formed in his hand as it shot out at me. I braced myself as it hit me.

It was still a small ball as it reached my chest, then it expanded into a black blanket. It felt thick and like velvet as it wrapped around me, hugging my arms to my side. I struggled to get free, and noticed it stretched with me. I glared at Demeter as he chuckled and moved forward. "Tsk, tsk Ayumi. I cannot wait to devour you, and consume your powers." He said, licking his lips. I felt disgusted and angered at once.

"You'll have to do a lot better than this, fool." I growled out. He ran at me, and did a front spin kick. The hell of his shoe connecting with my face. I flew back and hit the wall, and fell to the ground. I struggled against my bonds, trying to free myself. I could feel myself getting angrier and angrier.  
I could feel something changing in me, and i gasped as the usual warmth that spread through me turned into a blazing heat. It didn't hurt, and it was extremely comforting. I welcomed it and let it run through my blood and through my body, before a white light emitted from my eyes.

"No!" I could hear Demeter yell, but his voice was all muddled and distant. The bonds ripped off of me, and i could feel Hiei's hand on my back.

"Ayumi." He called out. I could feel him right next to me, but he too sounded distant and muddled. The fire within me grew until it reached my fingertips and the tips of my toes. I spread my arms out as i was lifted into the air, the white light surrounding me completely.

My wings grew in size, and my clothes changed as well. I was now in a very beautiful and intricate designed white dress.  
The sleeves were long and flowy, the top was square topped with intricate designs engraved into the hard, but soft looking fabric. At the waist it fell to the floor, in long elegant layers. A golden staff, made out of energy, formed in my hand. And my bare feet touched the floor.

My eyes were glowing a full golden color now, and my hair had grown to my knees as it curled in big ringlets and fell around my shoulders.  
I could feel the wisdom and the age of the sun coursing through me, and i knew this was my Maiden form.

"Demeter." My voice was a bit higher, but it had a background voice that was lower. It sounded odd, but musical. "You will not take my powers. History will repeat itself. You know what happened to the last Moon God that tried to take down the Sun Goddess." My voice rang out. Demeter was backing away now, and glaring at me harshly. His face lightened up though as he started laughing.

"Ahah. But you see...this time, i will make history different. I will not wait for you to turn into a Goddess to steal your form. Soon, Ayumi, you will be mine, and so will your powers." He said, running at me. My staff, which was as tall as me and had the language of the sun engraved in it and the ball on top was like a million little twigs twisted together and in the center was the orange ball of light that twirlied, glowed brightly.  
I twirled it expertly in my right hand, and made a single line in front of me. It shot out a bright orange light that engulfed Demeter's puppet.

It fell to dust immediatly. I looked over at Hiei as he sheathed his sword.

"It's about time your maiden form came out." He said, walking past me. I stared after him and walked with him. He led me back to my mind without speaking.

"Thank you...Hiei." I said to him. He turned to look at me and held his hand out.

"Hn. Let's go." He said. I smiled and grabbed it, and we left my mind, still in my maiden form.

I took a deep breath as my eyes opened wide, Hiei's own Jagan closing as he slumped a bit. I gasped for air as i looked around. Everybody's worried and confused face was over me. Hiei got off of me, and used the bed post to hold himself upright.  
"I'm going...to sleep. I'll be up in a few hours. Tomorrow, i'm waking you up bright and early. We're going to work on that form of yours." Hiei said, wasting no time in walking out of my room, trying not to fall asleep where he stood.

I only nodded my head and looked down. My ribs weren't broken anymore, and i was still in the white dress. My staff was still in my right hand, and my hair was still longer than normal.

"Ayumi...you look different." He said, motioning to my still glowing eyes. I smiled and nodded, sitting up. My wings curled around me, the tips crossing eachother in a protective way. I gave them an odd look, before willing them back into my back.

"Yeah...this is my maiden form." I said, thinking how i could change it. I was quiet for a minute, before closing my eyes and thinking of my normal form. And it worked. The dress receeded and returned to my previous outfit, my hair shrunk, and my staff disappeared. My wings also went back to normal size, and i assumed my eyes went back to normal. My ears and tail wiggled now as i opened my eyes.  
"Demeter is an ass. I'm going to kill him." I said darkly. It was quiet for a minute, before Yusuke started laughing. Kurama smiled, and Kuwabara looked like a happy doofus.

"I'm glad you're okay." Yusuke said, pushing my hair away from my face. I smiled at him.

"Yeah. Nobody's gonna take me down, not that easily." I said, laying down and yawning. They all laughed at me again.

"You shuld probably sleep. The drastic changed in temperature, the stress of you changing in and out of your maiden form, and your ribs breaking and then rapidly healing had to have worn you out a bit." Kurama said, checking to make sure my ribs were okay.

"Yes, doctor." I said, already half asleep.


	34. Check Yes Juliet

Tremble For My Beloved

::Chapter Thirty-Four; Check Yes Juliet::

I awoke to a light knock at the door. My eyes opened slowly, staring at the wall. I was currently curled up into a ball, with my comfortor covering every part of me except the top of my head. I was so comfortable. I heard the knock again. My eyes flicked over to the door, then back at the wall. I was so not moving. The knock again, only this time a little longer and a little louder. I sighed, still not moving.

"Go away..." I whispered, peering at the bluish hue of my room. The sun hadn't quite risen yet, so i clearly wasn't in the mood to get up yet. I needed more sleep.

"Hn. You're so supposed to answer when somebody knocks." I heard a voice say. I jumped just a little, before turning over to face my window, where Hiei was now standing at. I kept the comfortor over me though, i just switched sides. I was still quite comfortable.

"You're not supposed to climb through people's windows." I said softly, not putting quite as much effort into it as he did. His eyes narrowed for a second before he walked towards my bed.

"We're training today." He said, crossing his arms and staring down at me. I nodded at him, before yawning.

"And i can't wait, really. But do we have to get up so early?" I asked, another yawn coming out of my mouth. I heard Hiei grumble a few things under his breath, and i couldn't help but smirk up at him. He moved closer to my bed, probably about to push me off, but i beat him to the punch.

I suddenly sat up, pulling the covers off of me and i reached up, grabbing Hiei around the waist and pullng him onto the bed with me, before covering us both up with my warm comfortor. I flipped him a bit so he was on his side, and i curled into his chest.

"Baka Onna. What are you doing?" He hissed, looking down at me. I glared up at him before shaking my head.

"What does it look like stupid? I'm laying down." I said, putting my head on his chest and breathing in. He always smelt so good.

"I don't like you." He said flatly. I was a bit stunned at that, not sure how to respond. I recovered though and looked up at him.

"I don't like you either. Look, i don't know what you think i'm after here...but i'm not looking for anything. Truth be told, you're hot...you smell good...you taste good...and you're an awesome kisser. So get over it." I said, before wrapping an arm around his neck and pulling him down to meet my lips.

I could almost hear the gears clicking his head, he wasn't quite responsive as he thought about it. He pulled back for a second, his eyes narrowing before he bent back down and kissed me. I smiled into the kiss and crawled on top of him, straddling him. His hands slid up my thighs and around my hips, pulling them into his. I deepened the kiss, twirling my fingers into his hair and keeping him firmly against me.

He sat up, taking me with him and i locked my legs around his waist, not breaking the kiss. He made the kiss deeper, our tongues now battling against the other before i pulled back, a small smile on my face.

"Now see, this isn't so bad." I said, kissing him again. He pulled back and smirked.

"Hn." He said, before quickly standing up. I gasped out, not ready for that, as i fell off of him and on my butt. I glared up at him from the floor, only to see him smirking down at me.

"Okay, ass. Be like that. See if i care." Getting up off of the floor. He smirked and sat down on my bed. I gave him a look. "What?" I asked, looking around.

"I'm assuming you're gonna wanna go shower...." He said, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes at me. I smiled at him sheepishly, nodding my head and turning to walk into my bathroom. I shut the door and looked around, my heart thudding in my chest. It was now pretty much assumed there would be multiple make out sessions with Hiei. Which was fine by me.

I showered quickly and stepped out, drying my hair off quickly and then wrapping the towel around myself. I walked out of my room, to see Hiei still sitting on my bed. My eyes widened as i held the towel a little closer to me.

"Um...Hiei....why are you still in here?" I asked, blushing a little. He narrowed his eyes at me before a low growl came out of his throat.

"Because i'm waiting for your lazy butt so we can go train." He said, a little angrily.

"Well that's all fine and dandy but i kind of have to change here." I said, still blushing a little as i walked over to my dresser. There was a slight shift on my bed and i looked over, only to see Hiei still sitting on it, just facing the wall. My eyes widened as i blushed a bit more before sighing. "You're an ass." I mumbled, before letting the towel hit the floor.

"So you've said." He replied, his voice hard. I rolled my eyes and grumbled small curses to myself. Every few minutes i'd peek over my shouder to make sure Hiei wasn't peeking, which usually resulted in a smart comment from reading my mind, which only earned him more insults from me. It was an endless cycle really.

Now clad in my black lace under garments, i had once again checked over my shoulder, just to be sure. And i think i finally tried his patience. He growled out, before standing up and turning to glare at me. I glared at him back, blushing though and trying to cover myself up, but i held my ground.

He walked over to me, pushing me back against the wall and ran his hand up my thigh, side, arm, and finally to lay around my neck.

"Onna, if i wanted to see you naked, i have no doubt in my mind that it would be difficult. Knock it off." He said, his voice low. I glared up at him, before letting my hands rest on his hips, and taking my right hand and sliding it into the waistband of his pants. I didn't touch his length, but i pressed my fingers into the dimple in his pelvis bone. I watched his eyes narrow as a low growl came from his throat. I smiled softly, before leaning up and lightly kissing his lips.

He slid his arm around my waist, and his other hand was against the middle of my back, pressing me into him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him for a few minutes, before pulling back and smirking, and pushing him backwards. He stumbled back before catching himself, and glared at me.

"No doubt that it would be difficult, huh? What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, turning away from him to find the rest of my clothes.

"You know very well what it means." He said, shoving his hands in his pockets and sitting down on my bed. I gave him a look before putting on short black yoga shorts.

"Hah! Look at you being all conceited. What makes you think i'd do that with you?" I asked, glaring over at him. His eyes narrowed as he stood up again.

"It's not like you can hide it from me." He said, reaching up a finger and tapping his forehead with it. He smirked at me, and put his hand back in his pocket casually. I gaped at him, before narrowing my eyes and glaring heatedly at him. I finally put on a white form fitting tank top.

"Oh yeah? Mr. Know-It-All? You know what...i'm not even gonna say anything. I'll get you back for that one." I said, huffing and grabbing a hair tye. I tied my hair up into a high ponytail, and was about to walk out of my door. Of course Hiei had something else to say.

"You just love wasting time, don't you?" He asked me, suddenly standing right behind me. I was about to yell at him, but i was suddenly lifted into the air. I saw my room past me in a blur, and then some trees, and then i was thrown into the middle of the ring. I screamed as landed on my side, glaring heatedly at Hiei. I stood up, dusting myself off and putting my hands on my hips.

"UGH! I was going to get breakfast you jackass!" I yelled. Hiei gave me a look before crossing his arms.

"You don't eat until i say you can eat." He said, narrowing his eyes. Anger flared in side of me as my stuborness broke through.

"And who the hell are you to tell me what i can and can't do?" I asked through clenched teeth. He glared at me.

"Do you remember that conversation we had? The one where i told you that, against my better judgement, i was going to train you?..." He asked, leading off. My face slowly fell as i blushed and looked away.

"Oh yeah..." I mumbled, not wanting him to be right. I did ask him to train me, and he did agree, and he did tell me i'd have to listen without bitching about it. And yet here i was...bitching about it.

"Baka." He said, before disappearing. "Can you bring out your maiden form?" Hiei asked, his voice seeming to come from every direction.

"Yes." I said, looking around me. I closed my eyes for a second, before letting my wings spring out of my back, and then felt myself turning into my maiden form. I opened my now fiery orange eyes and looked around. It slowed everything down, and i could see Hiei's faint after image following him. I followed him with my eyes, letting him know i was ready. He sped up, if that was even possible, and he was invisible, even to my new eyes.

"Damn he's fast." I muttered, and then felt a sharp pain in my side. I flew to the side, but landed on my hand and did a flip, landing back on my feet. I noticed i was in the dress too, and i scowled. "What the hell? That makes things a little more difficult." I said, sighing as i felt more energy coming towards me. I snapped my eyes up just to see Hiei coming at me, and i yelled out, putting my hands up.

I blocked him and pushed him back, only to have him come at me again. I glared at him and moved forward, my entire body surrounding in a soft glow. We went at it for a couple hours, neither of us backing down and holding our own, though Hiei was still stronger than me. I got slammed way more than he did.

It was weird though, every time i looked at him, i couldn't help but feel something was off. And what's more, i was still feeling that memory block. I just couldn't quite think of what was blocked off, and i frowned, rememering to ask Yusuke about it. We finished training and went in for lunch; Kurama made some kind of soup, it smelt and tasted really good.

In the middle of eating, Botan stopped by.

"Hello boys!!! How are you doing today?" She asked, her voice chipper. I blinked at her and couldn't help but roll my eyes a bit. She was way too happy, though i guess she had to be since she dealt with so much death. Kurama looked up and smiled at her, a small tint of redness hitting his face. I gave him a questioning look before grinning to myself. That was cute.

We all said hello to her, with the exception of Hiei of course, and she took a seat on the counter.

"Are you hungry, Botan?" Kurama asked her, about to get up and make her a bowl. She shook her head and smiled back at him.

"No, thanks! I won't be here too long. I'm just taking a break, so i figured i'd come and say hello and check up on you guys." Botan said, her voice light. Kurama nodded and returned to his soup. I looked up at Botan and noticed the small necklace around her neck.

"Oh! Botan, your necklace is pretty." I commented, not really paying attention. She held it in her hand and smiled at me.

"Thanks! It's a cute little pensive!" She said. Something in me clicked as i jerked a bit, the memory of the premonition i had of Hiei rushing me back to me. My face faltered as i immediatly thought of something else, not wanting to tip anybody else. I looked at Kurama and Yusuke, who both seemed to have forgot about it. Perfect. I glanced worridly at Hiei, who was quietly eating and not looking at anybody. I breathed out a sigh of relief, i was okay for now.

Little did i know, the dream had rushed through Hiei again the second i thought of it.


	35. Umbrella

Tremble For My Beloved

:: Chapter Thirty-Five; Umbrella ::

The next few months went by pretty easily. My schedule was as such: wake up, train with somebody (most of the time it was Hiei), eat, shower, train some more, shower again, gym set work out, eat, luxury time (most of the time that was spent with Hiei as well), more training, another gym set work out, shower, dinner, and finally passing out. It was a well thought out, ridiculously retarded, plan. In my opinion anyways. It was definitely worth it though. I could feel myself becoming stronger, tougher, faster, and better. My endurance had risen tremendously, and I was as fast as Yusuke running at full speed now. My reflexes were top notch, and I was becoming accustomed with all of my Sun Weapons. I finally got annoyed with all of it though, and asked Yusuke why I was training so hard. He gave me a look, of course.

"Ayumi! The Dark Tournament is a few days away! Jeez, it's like you live on another planet, completely oblivious." He muttered, sticking his tongue out at me. I gave him a bashful look before giving him a sad face.

"Sorry! It's not my fault. I haven't had time to breathe, let alone know what's going on around here!" I said, sticking my own tongue out at him. He gave me a look before chuckling and ruffling my hair. I grinned up at him before leaning on his shoulder. It was my luxury time at the moment, finally. Rosetta came down the stairs, taking two at a time. She swung around the banister to head out the back door, but stopped and turned to face Yusuke and I.

"Hey guys, have you seen Zee anywhere?" She asked, blinking a few times. Yusuke and I both gave her a look. She couldn't be serious. Zee was massive; he wasn't somebody who could just 'disappear'.

"You lost Zee!?!?" I asked, completely amused now. Her curious gaze dropped as her eyes narrowed.

"No, I didn't lose him! I just…misplaced him…" She said, trailing off with a small smile. Yusuke threw his head back in laugher as I covered my own mouth to laugh.

"Misplaced him? Dude, have you seen him!? The guy is as big as a bear! How did you lose him!?" I asked, still laughing a bit. She shrugged her shoulders and laughed a bit, turning on her heels.

"I didn't lose him!" She said, walking out of the house. I shook my head at her before sighing and sitting back on the house.

"What a nut case." I muttered, yawning. A portal opened then, and Botan poked her head out.

"There you guys are!!! The other three boys are already with Koenma, they're waiting on you guys, silly!" She said, a little flushed. Yusuke and I looked at each other before shrugging and following her into the portal.

"There you guys are!! I swear, it's like trying to contact an apparition God!" Koenma said, a frown on his face. Yusuke and I looked at each other, before flipping Koenma off at the same time.

"Calm your tator tots binky-breath! We were just sitting on the living room couch. It's not like we were hiking in the deepest corners of the abyss." I said, crossing my arms. Koenma glared at me and I grinned, rubbing the back of my head. "Sorry…but don't yell at me. I'm not in a good mood." I muttered, before taking my seat with a grumbling Yusuke. Koenma shuffled some papers on his desk and cleared his throat before beginning, still giving Yusuke and I a reproachful look.

"Guys, as you should know, the Dark Tournament is just a few days away. All of your training is officially over, and I need you guys to begin packing. This is going to be a tough tournament this year, especially with Demeter going to be there. I heard that he's not actually fighting, but he's got a team together so I'm not sure what to be expecting out of this. You guys leave in less than three days; I want one of you to explain to Ayumi the rules of the tournament. You all can go." He said, returning to some papers. I sighed and stood up, following the boys back into the living room.

"Alright Ayumi, things are pretty simple. We basically go in, do our thing and-" Yusuke started, but got cut off.

"And king every demon butt we see!!!" Kuwabara finished, quite enthusiastically. Yusuke gave him a look and grinned, looking back at me.

"Pretty much." He said, sitting down. "The team leaders decide how the fight will be fought. 90% of the time, the only way to win is to knock out your opponent for ten seconds, or kill them." Yusuke said, yawning. I nodded, shrugging off the disturbed look on my face. Yep, easier than cake.

'_I believe the term is easy as pie.' _Hiei thought to me. I straightened up a little and turned my head slightly to gaze at him from the corner of my eye.

'_I know what the term is. But, I don't like pie…I don't like cake either, actually.' _I thought, chuckling a bit.

'_So then, what do you like?' _he asked me, a smirk on his face.

'_I like donuts.' _I thought, a small smile on my face. I could see him giving me a small look, before looking back out the window.

'_Wow. That's dumb.' _He thought. I glared at the back of his head.

'_You're dumb. Mr. I-love-ice-cream.' _I thought. I could see his head irking a bit and I smirked at him.

'_Leave my sweet snow out of it.' _He growled back in my head. I almost couldn't stop the laughter that built up in my chest.

'_I swear, you're so possessive over that.' _I thought, turning to walk up the stairs.

'_Hn.' _He thought, leaving my mind.

"_I'm going to go pack." I said, yawning a bit as I headed up the stairs. _I noticed Hiei got up and walked out the back door, probably going to go 'train'. I wasn't at all surprised to see him sitting on my window seat when I walked into my room. I smiled at him and shook my head, turning to get a suitcase out of my closet.

"Hello." I mumbled, smiling at him. He glanced at me and smirked.

"Hi." He said, his voice kind of distanced. I glanced at him, frowning just a bit before placing my suitcase on the bed.

"Are you going to pack?" I asked, my voice indifferent.

"I am packed." He said, shoving his hands inside his pockets. I couldn't help but chuckle at him as I begun placing my training gear at the bottom.

"Well, aren't you an over achiever?" I asked, sarcasm in my voice.

"Hn." Came his reply. Figures. We sat in a comfortable silence for a while as I packed, commenting to each other about a few random things. I couldn't help but think of the tournament though, only giving Hiei half of my attention. I wondered what kind of fighters would be there, and if I would be easily beaten. I frowned a bit, trying to shove the thought out of my mind, though that wasn't such an easy thing when Hiei brought it up.

"You'll be fine. I wouldn't worry about anything until the semi-finals. Everything under that is exercise." Hiei said, crossing his arms. I raised an eyebrow at him before smiling and shaking my head.

"But you've done this thing before. I've fought Shimi, a puppet of Demeter, and some demons that are so weak they don't even have a class. I highly think that'd qualify for the Dark Tournament. And you're still a lot stronger than me, so you can be confident all you want. I'm gonna be nervous." I said, another small frown forming on my face. Hiei cocked his head to the side as he watched me cross back and forth from my bed to my closet and dresser. We sat in a comfortable silence for a few more minutes and finally I walked over to my stereo and placed in a CD. The band was called All Time Low, and they redid a song by Rihanna called Umbrella.

In my luxury time that I spent with Hiei, I had played ningen bands that I thought he might like, and I was right. He liked bands like All Time Low, A Thorn For Every Heart, Secondhand Serenade, Van Halen, Cold, Sugarcult, Hollywood Undead, Linkin Park, and other bands similar to that style of music, which didn't surprise me at all. For now, I blasted Umbrella and sung to it, dancing from my bed to my dresser as I put clothes in and sung.

Hiei sat on the window seat, his head lightly bobbing up and down as he lip sung the words. It was cute, really. I gave him a small smile and finished packing. I had one suitcase, and a small duffel bag for all of my toiletries when I was finished. She's The Blade by Sugarcult was playing now, and Hiei was listening intently to the guitar. I kept the thought out of my mind directly so Hiei wouldn't know, but I was going to get him a guitar for Christmas.

It was the beginning of November now, so I had to start looking for guitars in town as soon as I could. I was also getting myself one so Hiei and I could rock out together. I almost giggled at the thought but I cleared my head and set my stuff next to the door, all ready to go. I flopped down on my bed and let Hollywood Undead play through the speakers as I felt a weight hit the bed. I looked up and saw Hiei climbing on top of me. I grinned and laughed as a small smirk appeared on his face.

He placed a hand on the middle of my back, and the other on my face and pulled me up to him. I let my arms set loosely on his shoulders as I smiled into the kiss a little, before making it deeper. I felt a tingling sensation in the pit of my stomach, but I couldn't quite place what it was, but ignored it as I sat up and laid Hiei on his back and straddled him, not breaking the kiss.

This was becoming routine with us, and I was becoming happily familiar with it, and I had a feeling Hiei felt the same way. I pulled away finally and rested my forehead on his, smiling.

"I can't believe I was afraid of you when I first met you." I said, laughing a little.

"Afraid? Woman, you were terrified." He said, a familiar smirk appearing on his face. I rolled my eyes and kissed him quickly before pulling back again.

"Shut up. I didn't know what was going on." I said, using my lame defense. He rolled his eyes and said nothing as he kissed me again, before letting the back of his head fall back onto my bed. Hollywood Undead ended and Hiei looked over at the stereo, contemplating something.

"Put Linkin Park in." He demanded, narrowing his eyes as he looked up at me. I narrowed mine back and made a face.

"What am I, your servant?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes." He said, flinging me off of him.

What a douche.

_nHHHHHhhhhhhdfkjslajfdsljFfdf_


	36. Take Me There

Tremble For My Beloved

:: Chapter Thirty-Six; Take Me There ::

It was finally time for the Dark Tournament. I wasn't going to lie, I was extremely nervous. I wasn't sure how things were going to turn out, so I wasn't paying attention to Botan or Koenma's parting words. I sighed as I somberly followed Yusuke into the portal that would lead us to the docks. We all ended up in the woods and I shoved my hands into my pockets. I was wearing my fighting close; black hakama pants, and a form fitting white tank top that tucked into the pants. I went barefoot, like usual, and I was trying not to concentrate one what we were about to do.

"Alright, let's go." Yusuke said, putting his hands inside his pockets and walking forward. We all followed him to the docking areas, and took a spot underneath a shaded tree. "And now we wait for the boats to arrive." He said, yawning and sitting down, his back up against the trunk of the tree. Kurama and Kuwabara stood on either side of Yusuke, with their arms folded, while Hiei jumped up onto a tree branch to sit. Rosetta and Zee stood a few feet away, Rosetta putting her hands on her hips, while Zee put on arm around her waist, and the other on her pulse. I sighed and simply allowed my legs to fold as I sat next to Yusuke.

We watched as more teams showed up, waiting for the ships to arrive as well. A lot of them glanced over at us, taking all of us in, before whispering to their teams. Some of them even pointed at us, giving us either a frightened or curious look. I knew we were all waiting for Demeter, and whatever team he'd be with, so we waited anxiously. Eventually though, I got curious.

"Why do they keep doing that?" I asked quietly, looking up at Kuwabara.

"Because they're afraid of us. We won the last tournament; taking down the guy that everybody thought was unstoppable. You can kind of say we're legends to them." Kuwabara said, obvious pride ringing in his voice.

"Hn. I think you might want to leave yourself out of that equation." I heard Hiei said from up in the branch. I gave him an odd look, before looking at Kuwabara's upset face.

"Hey! Watch your mouth Shrimp!" He called out, pointing angrily up at Hiei. I heard him snort before I heard him pulling his sword from his sheath.

"Don't get angry with me, Oaf. You're the one who let yourself be taken out by the same move twice, not to mention, by a clown dressed up as an old man." Hiei said. I gave Kuwabara a curious look now, hiding back my smile. He turned red in the face as he became flustered.

"It wasn't my fault! Ah…just shut up, Shorty." He said, folding his arms again and looking away, a pout on his face. Yusuke chuckled a bit, before his face dropped and he now had a serious, murderous look on his face. It actually kind of scared me.

"Demeter." He said. I stood up quickly, turning around, coming face to face with Demeter. He looked just like his puppet. Long, shaggy black hair and the jade colored eyed that resembled crescent moons. He was quite taller than me, and just looking at him made my blood boil. I narrowed my eyes, as everybody; including Hiei was standing at my sides and glaring at Demeter.

"Ayumi. It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person." He said, his voice blatant and warm. It made me want to gag.

"You know, why not just forget about the tournament. How about I just kill you here?" I asked, narrowing my eyes even further. I could almost hear Rosetta hissing towards him. Demeter took my face in and laughed a malice filled laugh. It made me cringe.

"Now, now. I had to be patient, now it's your turn. Sooner or later Ayumi, I will kill you." He said, his voice soft and sweet.

"You'll be dead before you can touch her." Yusuke said coldly. Demeter blinked a few times, finally acknowledging everybody else's presence.

"Ah, Koenma's prodigy. Nice to meet you. You'll wind up dying too, only I won't have time for you. The only person I want is Ayumi. No, I shall have you all killed by my own team." He said. Five people suddenly showed up behind them, but I didn't take in their appearance. I was focusing solely on Demeter.

"I will kill you." I said, my voice dangerously low. Instincts were once again taking over as my eyes suddenly turned into a fierce orange color, reflecting the sun. Demeter's composure broke as he stared into my eyes.

"That power…won't belong to you for much longer. Enjoy it while you can." He said, his voice coming out like venom. I wanted to tear him limb from limb.

"Bullshit." I said, growling at him. His eyes narrowed further as he faced off in silence, before he finally gained his composure back, and stood up straight, his neutral expression returning. Tension rose between us to the point of insanity, as he assessed my power.

"You've gotten a little stronger. How touching." He said, folding his arms. "You're no match for me. It's such a shame though, that I won't be fighting you here." He said.

"Ah, yes. I've been meaning to ask you about that too. Why exactly aren't you fighting?" I asked, baring my fangs at him.

"Because that's not why I want you here. I want you here to assess you. By the end of this tournament, I will know every move of yours." He said, coming closer to my face. My face contorted into anger as it took everything I had not to attack him. "I will know the easiest way to take you down and ki-" He was cut off, and not by me.

Hiei jumped forward, pulling his right hand pack and throwing it into Demeter's face. Demeter's eyes widened as he stumbled back completely shocked.

"Sorry to interrupt your shit talking, but I'll tell you this now that way you'll remember it when Ayumi is beating the hell of you. When you two face, she will be ready. When you two face, it'll hit you like nothing you've ever seen. I'll see to it that it is so." Hiei growled, giving him that look that scared the crap out of me. I looked at him, slightly shocked for such an outburst, but then paid attention to Demeter as he chuckled, still gripping his face.

"We'll see about that." He said, slightly backing away.

"Pussy." I muttered, keeping my eyes on him. His mouth twitched as he looked irritated and straightened himself up to leave.

"My team will see you in the ring." He said, walking away.

"Like I said…pussy." I called after him. He glared back at me, but kept walking, his team following behind him and giving us dirty looks.

"I have a feeling that I should have just killed him here." I said, crossing my arms and looking at his back angrily.

"You'll get your chance." Yusuke said, also giving Demeter's retreating back a glare before walking towards the docks. "The damn boat is here." He muttered. My gaze softened as I looked as his back, and I frowned as I walked up next to him.

"Yusuke?" I asked, my voice quiet. He didn't answer. I frowned a bit as I put my hands inside my pockets. "Are you…okay?" I asked, not knowing what to really ask. He gave me a look before sighing and shoving his own hands in his pockets.

"Not really. That guy is going to try and kill you…and he'll do anything to do so and get your powers. And I can't think of a way to help you or to make him back off without killing him myself, but I don't think that'd be possible. As strong as I am…I don't think I could fight a Moon God…not by myself. And I'm not about to kill all of my friends just because I don't want you getting hurt. I know you can take him down…but I hate putting you at a risk like that." He said, finally ranting off what was wrong. I grabbed his arm so he'd stop and he'd turn and face me. I stared at him for a few minutes, before smiling and wrapping my arms around his waist.

"It's okay, Oni-San." I said quietly. He stood there for a second, shocked, before laughing a bit and wrapping his arms around my shoulder. The only time I called him oni-san was when he was really upset, and I had to calm him down when we were kids. It worked then, and I guess it worked now. "You help by just being here, and teaching me, and being the obnoxiously older brother to me that you've always been." I said, looking up at him before continuing. "So try to relax. You're right, I can take Demeter down, and I know you will help me get that way. So don't worry about it. I got this." I said, smiling at him. He looked down at me and smiled too, giving me thumbs up and kissing my temple real quick.

"Alright…enough pep talking. Let's go." He muttered, pulling me with him to the boat. I laughed a bit as we joined the rest of the boys, crossing the dock to step onto the boat.

"Alright, so what's with the boat thing?" I asked, noticing a bunch of random teams place on the boat with us, none of them were Demeter's team.

"Well…we can't have this many teams competing in the tournament. It would go on forever. So, the boats are the eliminations." Kurama said, leaning up against one of the railings. I raised an eyebrow, looking around at the other teams. They were mostly a bunch of ugly looking demons.

"Uh, okay? So, what do we do?" I asked, looking back at Kurama.

"Once we start riding to the island, we all have to fight each other. Team against team in a free for all." He said, trying to explain it to me. But I gave him a 'you're crazy' look, and then looked at a chuckling Yusuke and smirking Hiei. Kurama chuckled at me before crossing his arms. "I'll just have Hiei explain." He said, shaking his head.

"It's pretty simple, Onna. Each boat should only have one team on it by the end of the trip; the teams that reach the island are the one's who compete. All we have to do is kill everyone else on the boat before we reach the island. We'll say we're the right team and no one will complain." Hiei said, crossing his arms. I looked him and started laughing.

"All right. Works for me." I said, shrugging. "Hey…how come Rosetta and Zee aren't here?" I asked, looking around.

"They're the back up. They go with the other back ups on a separate boat. They'll meet us at the island." Yusuke said, looking out over the water. I sighed.

"Great, now I'm the only girl here…again! Lovely." I muttered. Kuwabara laughed at me and put his arm over my shoulder.

"It's okay Ayumi! Kuwabara is here to protect!" He said, throwing out a peace sign. I gave him an odd look, before pulling his arm off of me.

"I don't know you." I said, walking away from him. He gave me a saddened face.

"AYUMI!" He called out. I couldn't help but laugh at him, and then give him my own peace sign. I loved that big goof. We left the docks and an announcement came over the speakers. It was pretty much just what Hiei told me.

"You may begin!" The announcer said. Everybody jumped towards each other at once, and before I could even take a step forward, a wimpy looking demon gave me a light punch in the shoulder. I gave it an incredulous look before punching it in the face, knocking him unconscious. I felt a sharp pain in my side, and turned around only to see nobody. I narrowed my eyes and did a round house kick to three demons before walking forward.

"Alright, who's ass am I kicking!?!?" I yelled.


	37. With You

Tremble For My Beloved

:: Chapter Thirty-Seven; With You ::

Keeping my Jagan fixed on my teammates, I slammed forward into a pathetic demon, almost knocking him unconscious. I frowned at him, before swiftly pulling my katana out and beheading him. There wasn't many left, but I moved forward anyways, using my katana rather than my fist. I didn't mind fist fighting, but I don't know how Yusuke and Ayumi preferred it to weapons. Their loss.

I shot forward, knowing the fool I was coming at couldn't even see me, and I shot behind him before landing on the railing. Once there, I propelled myself off of the railing with my feet and jumped up, onto the tall oaf's shoulders.

"What the--!?" I heard, not that it mattered. I brought my katana up, and brought it straight down, enjoying the sound of the metal slicing through flesh and bone. The demon fell forward and I jumped off, landing swiftly in front of Yusuke, who had killed the last of the demons. We had won, like always. Yusuke crossed his arms before cracking both sides of his neck.

"Man…these guys need to bring some tougher demons to fight. That was nothing." Yusuke said, sounding obviously disappointed and displeased. I smirked, flicking my wrist quickly so blood flew off of my katana, before putting it back in it's sheath.

"What were you expecting? A boat full of Toguro brothers?" I asked, before crossing my own arms. To this day Yusuke still puzzles me when it came to fighting. He was strong, no doubt. But the more he got beat down, and the more it seemed impossible to win, the better his chances at winning became. He was an odd ningen…no…I can't even call him a ningen anymore. Not since we found out he was a demon sleeper.

"What are you nuts!? I think a boat full of Toguro brothers would mean the end of the Earth. One set of Toguro brothers was enough to last me a lifetime, thank you. But something more than these small fry would have been nice. I put my hands in my pockets, looking over at Ayumi who had walked up next to Yusuke.

"The Toguro brothers…you beat those guys last time, right?" She asked, leaning against the railing. She had a very small scratch on her right collarbone, which irked me for some reason, but other then that, she came out perfectly okay.

"Yeah, those two scumbags who thought they were cool. Ayumi…you kicked ass!!!!" Yusuke yelled out, putting his arm around her and bringing her head closer to his chest. "Who the hell taught you how to fight like that!?" He asked, grinning down at her. She gave out a yell in protest before pulling his arm off of her and walking away, suddenly holding her nose.

"Your pits stink, Yusuke. Don't you bathe?" She asked, the ghost of a smile appearing on her face. I smirked at her, before looking at Yusuke's now pissed face. These two were certainly amusing to watch, if nothing else.

"I'll take you down." Yusuke said, glaring at her. Ayumi rolled her eyes, before sitting down. She looked over to her right, only to come face to face to a demon. It was dead, but it's head was huge, and it's face was gruesomely dressed and almost touching her. It went dead silent for two seconds, before she screamed and jumped up, her wings pulling out of her back as they beat away from the demon, and she landed behind Yusuke, covering her body with her wings.

"WHAT THE HELL!?!?!?!? NOT COOL!" She yelled, her face tinting red. The other three laughed at her, Kurama coming up and wiping the dust off of his shirt. The oaf had followed suit, taking off his jacket and holding it over his shoulder.

"It's dead, Ayumi. What's the problem?" Kurama asked, obviously teasing her.

"Yeah. How do you expect to beat Demeter when you're afraid a dead demon?" Kuwabara asked, taunting the girl as well.

"And what the hell are you hiding behind me for!? Didn't you just tell me that my pits stink??? Get away, traitor." Yusuke said, crossing his arms and holding his head up as he walked away from Ayumi, and stood in front of Kurama and Kuwabara. Ayumi stood there as her wings dropped, and her expression. She looked like she was about to cry.

"Shut up…" She said, her voice tiny and small. I cocked my head to the side, staring at her. Those comments couldn't really bother her, could they? One way to find out.

'_They need to leave me alone…I was just startled. It's not funny.' _She thought. Okay, so maybe they did upset her. I frowned a bit, before looking at the other three who were still thinking it was a game. They were laughing at her.

"You three are idiots." I suddenly said, my voice sharp as always as I stared away from them.

"Aw, come on Hiei. Don't tell you don't think it was funny!" Yusuke said, walking up to me. I glared at him before taking a few steps back. He may be a demon now, but he still acted like a stupid ningen. I respected Yusuke, sure, but he was still an idiot.

"Hn. I don't see why you think it is. You've known her for how long, and you can't tell that you're really bothering her?" I asked, looking away from him again. I really shouldn't have said anything. I wasn't one to meddle in these stupid fights they had. They were boring and they annoyed the hell out of me. Yusuke didn't respond as he looked at me, before looking at Ayumi. Ayumi herself had given me a slightly shocked look, before she looked down and turned, setting her arms on the railing and putting her head down.

The sun was beginning to set, and it casted a quiet glow over the water, and Ayumi. Of course it would, any time the sun was out she drew it closer to her. The setting sun hit her hair, making the red in it stand out even further. Her skin had a slight film of gold around it, as did her wings. Not that I'd ever admit this, but I didn't mind staring at her for a while like that.

"Ayumi, you know I was kidding…right?" Yusuke asked, seeming a bit bothered as he put his hands in his pockets.

"Whatever, Yusuke." Ayumi said, her voice still soft. Yusuke sighed and walked away, putting his arms around Kurama and Kuwabara. He led them to the beds that were underneath this part of the ship, thinking she'd come around sooner or later. Once we were alone, I walked over to her.

"Thanks for…kind of sticking up for me." She said, staring at the sun and not meeting my gaze.

"Hn." Came my usual reply. She didn't say anything as her somber face still gazed at the sun, her eyes dropping a bit to stare at the water. "You did very well today." I said, attempting to make some sort of conversation. Why I was bothering…I didn't have an answer. That bugged me.

"Thanks. These guys were pretty weak though." She said, her voice still soft.

"Are you that upset over Yusuke's comment?" I asked, knowing I could easily find out the answer, but I wanted to hear it from her.

"A little. But that's not what's bothering me." She said after a moment of mulling it over.

"Then what is bothering you?" I asked.

"Demeter. He's not what I expected him to be, I guess. I know he wants me dead, and that makes me mad…but I don't know if I have the incentive to be sure that I'll kill him." She finally said. This confused me.

"You need an incentive to kill somebody?" I asked, my voice sounding my confusion. She gave me an incredulous look before slightly shaking her head and sighing, looking back at the water.

"Yes. I don't think you'd understand. You're a demon…and before you met Yusuke, you were a thief who killed anybody just for the hell of it." She said. That kind of ticked me off.

"Hn. I didn't-" I started, but she cut me off.

"I'm not saying you shouldn't have done it. I understand that view point…of killing people without having a reason to. I really do…I just don't have it in me to be that way. And I guess that makes me a pathetic baka onna ningen." She said, using one of my nicknames for her. I frowned a bit, before moving a bit closer to her.

"Onna…you're a strange one. Anybody who has somebody else out to kill him or her would normally be enough incentive. And you're right, I don't understand that point of view, and to me, that makes you sound weak and pathetic. But if that isn't enough incentive, you'll find something else to get it." I said, putting my left arm on the railing she was leaning on. She gazed up at me before sighing and putting her head on my arm, looking towards me.

"I don't want to find an incentive…it won't be good at all. Something really bad would have to happen…and that can't happen. I don't know what I'm gonna do…but I guess I'll figure something out." She said, her voice drifting a bit as she talked not only to me, but also a bit to herself. We sat in silence for a few minutes as she traced random designs in my shirt on my chest, before looking up at me with a smile on her face.

"What, Onna?" I asked, a smirk on my face. She laughed a bit before standing up a bit and putting her arm around my shoulders.

"You're cute." She said, a crooked grin on her face. I was taken back just a bit by the randomness of that comment.

"Hn." I said, looking away from her for a moment, before gazing back at her face. Our eyes locked as she looked intently into my eyes. I felt a little vulnerable then, and a little disturbed by my thought process behind this. I cleared my head before looking away real quick. "Stop looking at me like that." I finally said. I heard her laugh and looked at her again, ready with an insult and a death glare, when she kissed me. I stood shocked for a moment, before slowly responding to her. This kiss was different than most of our others. It was slower, it was softer, and it was very, very different for me. There was an emotion that I couldn't quite depict in it. I pulled back to look at her face, and she looked up at me before placing her lips over mine, keeping her eyes open as she stared at me, and kissed me lightly. She pulled back then and sighed, laying her head on the railing again and walking out of my arms. I frowned.

"What are we doing?" She suddenly asked. Damn. How many times is this woman going to catch me off guard?

"I don't know." I answered honestly. Shoving my hands in my pockets. I had asked myself that question countless numbers of time, and each time I had no answer. It infuriated me beyond belief. She placed her head on her hands, and just looked at me.

"I don't either. At first…it was a physical attraction I guess. But now…it's different." She said. I narrowed my eyes a bit, looking out over the now blue hue of the sky as it transformed from sunset to night. She was right…it was different. I didn't know how…but it was definitely different, and I definitely wasn't ready to talk about this now.

"Hn." I said, my voice a little cold. She took in my tone, expression, and body language before sighing, shrugging her shoulders.

"Just as long as we're on the same page here." She muttered, putting her hands in her pockets and turning away from me. Her wings flapped once, before moving upwards and touching the other, before collapsing into her back. "When do we reach the island?" She said, changing the topic completely. I glared at her for a moment, getting slightly annoyed. I didn't want to talk about…whatever the hell we were doing, and then she says she understands. And then she says something to try and make me feel bad…and then she changes the subject. I hate this woman.

"In a few hours." I said, my voice still cold as I gazed at her back. She stiffened up a bit, before turning to look at me, a glare also on her face.

"What is your problem?" She suddenly asked me.

"You." I replied, without missing a beat. Her eyes narrowed before they settled into a glare again.

"I'm your problem? That's funny." She said.

"It's the truth." I said, glaring straight back at her.

"Then why do you bother? Oh wait, sorry, I guess I can't ask any personal questions." She said coldly, sarcasm also hanging in her voice. I was getting angrier.

"That's a good question. Maybe I just shouldn't bother, then." I said, my voice becoming colder as I was turning into the person I am when I'm facing somebody who isn't on my team. She assessed this change, and looked just a bit genuinely hurt for a moment, before the glare returned.

"Maybe you shouldn't. Don't talk to me. Don't touch me. Don't look at me." She said, before turning swiftly on her heels and walking away. She was heading towards the stairs that led to the lower deck. I narrowed my eyes and walked after her a bit, before stopping.

"Don't tell me what to do you wench." I snarled at her. She stopped and turned to face me again, crossing her arms.

"If you do any one of those things, I'll tell everyone about us. I'm not even kidding. If you're gonna be an ass, then be an ass. I don't care. But don't be one around me." She said. I knew her anger was just boiling over, but mine was too, and that really pissed me off.

"I hope Demeter kills you." I said, my voice in the coldest tone yet. My eyes widened though when I realized what I just said. Her eyes were wide too, and they lined with tears. Her face was in shock as her hands dropped to her side. She narrowed her eyes after a minute and looked away, blinking back tears.

"Me too." She said, before turning on her heels and walking down the steps. I closed my eyes and rested my head against the cabin on the deck. I didn't mean that. I looked up and glared at nothing, before turning my heels and pacing the deck. I was by myself now; well, besides the dead demons decorating the floor beneath me. I glared at each and every once of them, cursing them out even. I thought about what happened as I put my hands on the railing and looked over the water.

I gave out a frustrated sigh as the stupid island got bigger and bigger.


	38. Your Call

Tremble For My Beloved

:: Chapter Thirty-Eight; Your Call ::

Hiei is such a jerk! I paced one of the empty rooms on the boat, it was small and cramped, but it gave me enough room to fume. I glared at anything my vision came in contact with, and cursed random things, all of them towards Hiei. I stopped though once the anger died down, and sadness replaced it. This always happened. I got really mad, and then I got overwhelmed and started crying. I wrapped my arms around myself before sitting down on one of the beds, put my head on my knees, and started crying.

I hope Demeter kills you. That's what he said. I hope Demeter kills you. I hope Demeter kills you. I hope Demeter kills you. I HOPE DEMETER KILLS YOU. His voice rang sharply in my head as I replayed the moment over and over again. This wasn't helping my tear production lessen at all. But I couldn't help it. Nothing had changed, nothing at all. Hiei was still the cold, heartless asshole that he was when I first met him. The same uncaring, 'holier-than-thou', self-centered prick that he's always going to be.

Now wasn't a very good time to be crying over a boy. And I knew that. I had a tournament to fight in, and I didn't need this crap. I couldn't be feeling this way when I was fighting Demeter. The name replayed the scene with Hiei. I HOPE DEMETER KILLS YOU. Tears fell as I closed my eyes tightly, trying to get rid of the memory. I turned the light off as I crawled onto the bed, covering myself and keeping my eyes closed. I silently cried as his words cut like a knife. They shouldn't hurt this bad. I don't know how I let myself care enough to let them hurt this bad.

"Ugh!" I called out, turning over so I was facing the wall. I closed my eyes and attempted to get rid of the headache that I now had. I had messed up somewhere, definitely. Things were going great. We kissed, and something felt different. All I did was say something…and he immediately pulled back. I don't blame him though; this isn't supposed to be a relationship. But I got irritated because he won't even talk about it. That's where it went wrong. Ugh. This sucks. For some reason, I was feeling very vulnerable and very weak right now. I didn't realize I had fallen asleep, and because I fell asleep, I wasn't aware of how Hiei was having issues on the deck.

* * *

I gripped my head in pain. My eyes widened, as my vision got blurry. I began grinding my teeth together as I gasped out in pain. What was going on? My vision became even more distorted as I fell to my knee, one hand on my head and the other on the railing. I yelled out, now knowing what else to do. I could hardly move.

Yusuke was next to me then, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Hiei!!" He yelled out, but his voice was all muddled. "Hiei, what's wrong?" He asked. It sounded echoed and far away. I squeezed my eyes shut, as my Jagan opened wide as it tried to figure out what was invading my head. It was then that I heard Kurama's frantic voice.

"Yusuke! Ayumi is in a coma!" He yelled out. That's all I heard before I started blacking out, Ayumi's name lightly leaving my lips as I fell forward, my eyes and my Jagan eye closing.

"So is Hiei." Kurama said, his voice full of worry as he sat next to Hiei and checked his pulse. "We only have an hour and a half before we get there. Once we do, we need to immediately check into the hotel, and call Koenma." Kurama finished, heading back downstairs to get Ayumi. Yusuke nodded his head as Kuwabara began to silently freak out. Something didn't feel right. Yusuke cursed under his breath as he sat Hiei up comfortably against the railing, looking at the scratch mark on Hiei's forehead where his nail had dug in too deep. He shook his head, looking down at his friend before Kurama came up with Ayumi. He laid her down next to him.

"And now we wait." Kurama said, sighing as he sat down and stared at his two friends.

* * *

_There was two of me…again. How many times was this going to happen? I frowned down at my other self as she stood in the middle of a clearing, looking around. I was up in the air, elevated a bit. Of course, she couldn't see me. She looked around, upset and worried as she tried to look for…something. It was then that I realized, I had this premonition before. This was the same one I had a few months ago. The one that got locked up in my mind. Only…this one was a little different._

_My other self moved forward, towards the path that the first dream led me through. I followed, again without telling myself to, and came out of the other side. Again, across another clearing, lying against a tree was Hiei. Fear cut across my other self's face, and mine this time. She ran forward, leaning down and putting her arm under his neck and putting most of his upper body in her lap. I walked forward and sat down in front of him, worry in my eyes as I gazed at Hiei. He looked horrible._

_The stomach wound he had in the first premonition was there, only this time it was a huge gaping hole. His sword was in its sheath this time too, rather than being in his stomach. Hiei's whole torso, neck, and face was coated in blood. His blood._

"_Hiei…" My other self called out, her voice weak and small as she rubbed her thumb over Hiei's cheek. His eyes fluttered open a bit, his breath turning ragged as he tried to catch his breath and gazed up at her._

"_Ayumi…" He whispered, leaning his head into the crook of her neck._

"_You're hurt…bad. I gotta get you to some place safe where I can call for some help." She said, about to move. But he reached up his arm and pulled her into his chest._

"_I'm not gonna make it, Onna." He said quietly. Her eyes widened as she looked back at him, tears lining her eyes._

"_D-don't say that! Yes, you will. I'll make sure you will." She said, using her hands and placing them over the hole in his stomach. She tried to pull the suns warmth from her body, into Hiei's, but with no success. "No…come on…work!" She yelled out frantically, a slow sob coming out of her throat._

"_You don't have enough energy left to spare. You've barely got enough to keep you alive, you really think you can give me enough to keep me alive?" Hiei asked her, his voice coming out in short breaths._

"_Yes!" She called out stubbornly. He was about to say something, but was cut off when he started violently coughing. Blood poured out of his mouth and into his hand as he gasped for breath, and returned to lying against her collarbone._

"_Onna…stop it." He said softly, his eyes starting to close a little._

"_Hiei…no. Please…please don't leave me." She said, tears falling as she placed her cheek on the side of Hiei's face. "I need you. Please!" She said, crying now. His hand moved up slowly to grip the back of her head._

"_I'm sorry." Was all he said, holding her to him. She gripped onto him, moving her head so her forehead was pressed against his. He forced his eyes to open up all the way, so he could look at her fully. "I really don't want to go with the image of your face looking like that." He said. Of course, even in death, he'd still make fun of her. She shook her head, tears still falling as she smiled down at him. "That's better." He said quietly, his eyes beginning to close. He tilted his head up just enough so his lips pressed against hers softly. She placed her hand on his cheek and kissed him deeply._

"_I love you." She whispered against his lips. His eyes opened up just a little as he stared into her eyes._

"_I know…I love you, too." He said, kissing her one last time. She kissed him back, and pulled back to look at his face. His eyes closed as his hand fell from the back of her neck, and hung to his side. His full weight was pushed into her then, as his head fell against her shoulder. He was dead._

* * *

_This was stupid. I didn't know what 'this' was, but it was stupid. And it was making me mad. I was being elevated into the air, and I was glaring down at…well…me. I was way ahead of the group, which was normal. But what wasn't normal was their conversation._

"_We're so stupid! How could we let him trick us?" Yusuke asked, a glare on his face as he ran as fast as he could. I frowned. I didn't remember anything tricking us. Where was Ayumi?_

"_What are we going to do if we don't get there in time?" Kuwabara asked, a sad look on his face as the thought of whatever horrific outcome that might happen. _

"_Shut up Mr. Negative! We'll get there in time. Demeter…you bastard." Yusuke growled out, picking up his pace as he ran even faster. Demeter? My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Where the hell was Ayumi? I was dragged down without my consent to where my other self was running, and that's when I realized just how fast he was going. He was way faster than I was, by at least another ten notches. His breath was even but ragged as he ran faster than ever before. I had a look on my face that I wasn't quite accustomed too, and I glanced at him in confusion._

_He leapt up into a branch, and jumped off of it, throwing himself high into the air. Once there, he angled himself so he dived straight towards a glacier. He glared at the top of it, jumping from foothold to foothold, trying to reach the very top. It looked like the other three boys would have to find a way to climb it. He reached the top, and looked down into the sloped opening. For some reason, really hot air was being blown out of it. He frowned, and tore his cloak off and let it rest at the top._

_He took in a deep breath of the cold air, looking towards the setting sun. It had almost set completely, the dark blue hue of night creeping up behind it tauntingly. His eyes narrowed as he stared down at the hole again._

"_Tonight's the night of the new moon…I don't have much time. Ayumi, I'm coming." He said to himself, determination in his voice as he jumped into the hole. Again, I followed. That was different too. My other self landed swiftly and took off down a hallway, not bothering to look around. The look on his face told me he'd kill anything that got within ten feet of him. Now that look, I was use to. The reasoning behind that look…I was still a bit confused about._

_It seemed like forever went on as hallways upon hallways blurred past us, and I had a feeling I was skipping quite a bit of time, because next thing I knew, we were both standing in a room. I could feel that the pressure was a lot higher, so we were pretty deep underground. The room had a red glow to it, as nobody other than Demeter walked out of the shadows._

"_Ah, nice of you to join me, Hiei. How are you feeling on this lovely night?" Demeter asked, a smirk playing on his lips._

"_Where is she?" My other self asked, tone hard and cold as it came out as a type of bark._

"_Ah, ah, ah. This is my turf, you do this my way." Demeter said, placing his hands on his hips. My other self glared at him, his hand already on the hilt of his katana._

"_Shut up! You've had Ayumi for almost two months now. You tell me where she is, or I'll fucking kill you right now." He said, obviously angry. I blinked back a bit of shock, before glaring at Demeter myself. Two months? He's had Ayumi…for two months!? My anger bubbled over as a growl was emitting from my own throat, as well as my other self. Demeter only grinned his stupid grin, before snapping his fingers._

"_Well…if you insist." He said, as a large cage began descending from the ceiling. The back of the cage was sheer metal, and the other three sides of it were steel poles that came together at an arc at the top, and a square at the bottom. My eyes widened in shock as I stared at the figure inside of it._

_It was Ayumi. She was naked, and covered from the neck down in long, deep, jagged looking gashes. There was blood dripping off of her and pooling around her feet. She was chained to the wall behind her, and there were feathers lying on the floor around her. He tore her wings off. Her hair was matted with blood and her head hung down since she was barely clinging to consciousness. Her head lifted up just a bit as her gaze locked with my other self._

"_Hiei…" She whispered, her voice coming out in a pained strain. "Run…away. It's a…trap." She whispered again, her voice becoming hoarse the more she used it. Her head hung limp again as a bunch of smaller demons came out with hot pokers and a whips that were made out of a very thin metal, on the side of it being covered in jagged razor blades. My other self's breathing hitched, as his Jagan eye blazed open completely, his entire body being consumed in black flames._

_I only looked at him for a second, before looking back at Ayumi. She looked like she was going to die. Anger boiled in my system as I flew forward with my other self, slamming into a group of demons at once. Most of them died as his ki touched them, glaring heatedly at Demeter. A massive amount of aura was radiating off of him, and the seal on his right arm burned off of his skin. He screamed out as he was completely engulfed in black flames, a blue tint to it. He knew this move. He held his arm up, pointing it straight at Demeter._

"_Dragon of the Darkness Flames!" He called out, the dragon soaring out of his arm. Demeter's eyes widened a bit as he tried ducking, but it was of no use. The dragon followed him as Hiei had complete control of it. He walked forward while Demeter attempted to fight off the dragon, and looked at the poles that were keeping him from Ayumi. With a growl and a flick of his wrist, his katana sliced through it easily. He crushed the bars away, going on mostly adrenaline as he made his way towards Ayumi._

_He dropped his katana as he grabbed a hold of her head, lifting it up so he could look at her. Her eyes opened lazily as she stared at him, tears falling from her eyes._

"_Hiei…please…. run." She said. She tried talking some more, but Hiei cut her off by grabbing her face and kissing her._

"_I'm gonna get you out of here." He swore, reaching up to break the chains that bound her to the wall. She tried to speak, but she had lost too much blood and she was starting to black out. He didn't care either way. He walked out of the cage and set her down on the floor, leaning up against the wall, wishing he had brought his cloak with him. Looking at her like this made his blood boil even more. He looked at her wings, or what was left of them, and frowned as a disgusted look covered his face._

_He had tore them out with a pair of pliers. One feather at a time. He grimaced and turned around, to see Demeter looking cut up and bleeding. He'd die very soon. Hiei took complete control over the dragon and called it back into his arm. Once there, he ran forward and picked up his katana, reaching for Demeter. Demeter's head popped up, a cynical smile on his face._

_"Gotcha." He said darkly, before vanishing. Hiei froze and looked around, looking for him. That's when he heard her gasp. He turned around, as did I as Demeter was standing behind Ayumi, holding her up by her hair. His eyes widened as he ran forward, but he wasn't fast enough. My eyes widened and my heart thumped wildly in my chest, as Demeter ran a dagger across Ayumi's throat. He yelled out for her as she fell forward, eyes closing before she hit the ground and blood pooled around her face. Demeter vanished again, heading up towards the tip of the glacier now._

_Myself and my other self stared down at the now lifeless Ayumi._


	39. Happens All The Time

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**Authors Note: **Hey guys! Hope you've liked the story so far. =] Thanks to all of you who have been reviewing, you know who you are. I really do appriciate it! :P So thanks! Anyways, this is the last normal chapter before the Dark Tournament part of it begins. So yesh, this shall be uber special. lol. Anyways, i'm gonna shut up now. Head on over to littlemija69's profile and read her stories. They're freaking amazing. Ja ne!

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Tremble For My Beloved

:: Chapter Thirty-Nine; Happens All The Time ::

Ayumi's Premonition.

_Hiei was dead. No. No. No. No. No. Hiei couldn't be dead. My vision blurred through my tears as I could feel my face getting hot. I choked back a sob as I stared down at his face; he looked so peaceful. I ran my hand through his hair, and hugged him close to me, putting my head on his shoulder and I started sobbing. The sun slowly set as I held him, not letting go as my world crashed around me. Rain clouds formed and hovered, dangerously close to falling, and even when they did I held him close to me._

"_Hiei…there's so many things I still have to tell you." I whispered to him, tears still falling helplessly as the sun set and the moon began to rise as darkness crept over us. I sobbed endlessly, keeping my face earnestly pressed against his, wishing more than anything that he would open his eyes and he'd be okay. My wings rose and arched into the air, before wrapping themselves protectively around Hiei and I, shielding us from the rain. I could feel his life warmth slowly leaving his body as he got colder and colder, so I heated my own body temperature up to keep his body warm. I pulled back to look at his face and my vision clouded again I cried out, laying my forehead against his._

"_Please…come back." I whispered helplessly. "Come back…I need you." I breathed, just wanting him to wake up. My voice felt hoarse from crying so much, but I cried still._

"_Ayumi??" I heard. My head slowly rised as I looked over to see Yusuke, and Kurama and Kuwabara behind them. Yusuke was looking at me in shock, and then at Hiei._

"_H-Hiei…" He said quietly, walking over and falling to his knees besides him. I clutched him to me and laid my head back down on the side of his face, and continued my crying. Kurama covered his mouth in shock as he walked closer, reaching out a hand but not touching him. Kuwabara look extremely depressed and angry now, as he folded his arms and put his head down. I then heard the sound of a portal and I turned my head, just enough to see the last person I wanted to see. My eyes widened as I yelled out, clutching Hiei tighter to me._

"_Botan! NO!!!" I yelled out, closing my eyes and hiding my face in the crook of Hiei's neck. "NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! GO AWAY!" I screamed out, my voice cracking as started sobbing even harder. Botan's eyes were full of tears as she looked away, and then back at me._

"_I-I'm so sorry Ayumi…I have to. If I don't, his soul won't pass on." She said, tears falling from her eyes. I felt everything crush around me as I pressed my lips against Hiei's cheek._

"_Please! Botan…no…" I whispered, closing my eyes as tears fell in a steady pace, relentlessly and against my will. I felt so numb, and I felt as if I was losing it completely. And now Botan was going to take him away from me. I couldn't handle it. I almost blacked out, but I forced myself out of it as I stared at Botan helplessly, and pleaded for her to not take him. She cried some more, walking closer and leaning down to lay a hand on his chest._

"_Ayumi…I'm sorry. But he has to come with me." She said, her voice cracking as well. Yusuke was still staring at Hiei in complete shock, as his hand reached out and nimbly touched the side of Hiei's face. He let his hand drop after a minute, before looking at Ayumi with tears in his own eyes._

"_She has to take him." He said to me. My eyes flowed over as I shook my head and hugged Hiei. "Ayumi…you know she does. Come on." He said, his voice holding no emotion. My whole body was racked with sobs and was shaking as I finally pulled back from Hiei. Botan touched his chest one more time, and he began to levitate. I held onto his hand and pressed it to my face one more time, still crying, and begun sobbing again when Botan sat on her oar, and began floating away with him._

_I fell backwards into Yusuke and he caught me, gripping me in an iron bear hug._

Hiei's Premonition.

My whole body was frozen in shock as I stared down at Ayumi. Her eyes were open, but empty as she stared unforgivingly at the wall to her right. My heart sped up and caught in my throat, as my knees gave out from under me. I scrambled closer to her, before rolling her over.

"_Ayumi!" I called out, shock still written on my face as I tucked her into my lap. I pushed her hair out of her face, and pulled her close to me. I wasn't entirely sure how to react. She was dead. Her. Ayumi. All that I had. I failed. Her head fell limp against my chest, and her arms fell to the floor as I cradled her to me, looking down at her the whole time. I didn't know what to do. I closed my eyes tightly as I tried to fight off the overwhelming emotions that I knew I couldn't deal with at the moment, before one sob broke out of me before I controlled myself again, hugging Ayumi tighter to me._

_I heard footsteps and I looked up in time to see Yusuke slide to halt, his eyes widened as he gaped at me, and then at Ayumi. He stared for only a second, before his eyes widened even more._

"_AYUMI! NO!" He screamed, running towards me and sliding on his knees until he was sitting in front of me. He grabbed the back of her neck and her face, and looked at her. His breath hitched and his eyes stayed wide. "Ayumi?" He asked, his voice dropping low as he stared at her. He brought his head back up to look at me, his eyes wide and fearful as he looked at him, and then he stared back down at Ayumi. He reached his arms out to hold her, and I almost growled at him._

_Fury built up inside of me, as I wanted to punch Yusuke, and tell him to get away from her. But I couldn't do that. Very reluctantly, I gave her to him, before standing up. Kurama and Kuwabara came in then, sliding to a stop as they gapped at Yusuke and Ayumi. Kurama's eyes widened as he put two and two together, and gave me a fearful look with those knowing eyes of his. I didn't look at him._

"_You…your jacket." I said, trying to control my voice. Kuwabara gave me a stupid look, before fidgeting around and taking his jacket off. He threw it to me, and I turned and walked back over to Yusuke. Luckily the Oaf was twice the size of her, so his jacket covered her completely. I held it open as Yusuke put her arms in it, and held her up, his face beginning to fall completely as he stared down at her. I ignored him, and wrapped the jacket tightly around her body. I finally let my hand run through her hair just once, and touched her face, before standing up. I needed to leave._

_I began walking away as Kuwabara ran past me, mostly to comfort the now crumbling Yusuke. Kurama stared at me._

"_Hiei…" He whispered, stumbling a bit. I stopped and gave him a heated glare._

"_Don't. Just…don't. Leave me alone." I said, before shoving past him and making my way out of the glacier. I've always been alone, ever since I was a child. And I've become accustomed to being alone. To not needing anyone. To not caring for anything or anybody but myself. And then she came along. She loved me, knowing I was who I was. She loved me, regardless of my faults and my attitude towards her. I've never told her enough. In fact, I've only told her three times. I loved her, too._

_I frowned as I sat down, now on top of the glacier. I've always been alone, and I've become accustomed to it. But never, in my life, have I ever felt this alone. I brought my knees up to my chest, and placed my head on them. My hands touched the snow on top of the glacier, and it began melting. Anger mixing with my own personal depression, my fire spread out and downwards, making it's way past me. I looked up at the sky with a murderous look in my eye._

"_Demeter. I won't forgive you. I swear it, I will kill you." I said, my voice low and promising._

Hiei's POV

I sat straight up, sweat dripping off of my face. My heart was racing as I looked at my surroundings. I was in a bedroom, and the window was kept open so cool air would rush into the room. I was thankful for that. I still didn't know exactly where I was either. I looked out the window, and I could see ocean waters. That's right…we were on the boat. And then I passed out. Was that a dream? It didn't feel like one. That was too real. Every emotion I felt, and it made me a little dizzy. I then suddenly realized, I needed to see Ayumi.

I got up, swiftly out of bed before walking out of the room. My suspicions were correct; we were in the hotel on the island. Kurama, Kuwabara, Yusuke, Zee, and Rosetta were all sitting on the living room couches, and all heads turned towards me when I walked out. They started talking at once, and I glared at them and held my hand up.

"Where is she?" I asked, my voice rough. Kurama frowned before pointing to the room next to mine. "Is she awake?" I asked, turning to walk into the room. Yusuke shook his head. "I'll be back out in a minute. I'm gonna figure out what the hell is going on." I said, making sure they weren't suspicious. They weren't. I walked into the room and shut the door behind me.

I walked over to the bed, where a sleeping Ayumi lay. I looked at her body, and finally her neck. No cut. She was fine. I breathed out a sigh of relief, and then glared down at her. Stupid woman.

"H-Hiei…" I heard. I blinked a few times, and looked down at her. She was still sleeping, but she did call out my name. "Hiei…please…come back…. don't leave me." She said. My eyes widened a bit, as I reached out and grabbed her hand. I didn't say anything yet, not wanting to disturb her quite yet. I did become a bit confused when a tear fell from her eyes. I wanted to wake her then.

"Ayumi…get up." I said, shaking her. Her eyes snapped open and she softly yelled out, sitting up. She put her hand over her heart as she looked around the room, same as I did. I smirked a bit, as her eyes landed on mine. My face fell though at the look she was giving me.

"Hiei?" She asked, her voice was small.

"Onna?" I said, trying to lighten the mood. She stared at me, before reaching out and slowly placing her hand on the side of my face.

"You're okay? You're…really okay? You're alive?" She asked, her eyes bore into mine as she asked, and I looked down, before meeting her gaze again.

"I'm fine." I said, wondering what she was talking about. "What's wrong with y-" I started, but got cut off. She jumped off of the bed, and tackled me to the ground. I landed with a soft thud, as I looked down, completely shocked. Ayumi had her arms around my neck, and her head on my shoulder as she hugged me. Her blanket had fallen with her, so we were now slightly tangled up as she held onto me. I heard her crying in my chest, and I gripped her shoulders to pull her back so I could look at her.

Ayumi's POV

"What's wrong?" He asked. My heart thudded in my chest as I stared at him. His beautiful red eyes stared into mine, and his skin was just as warm as ever. There was no hole in his stomach, and no blood. He was fine. It was just a dream.

"You're not dead. Hiei…I thought…you were…" I couldn't speak as I stared at him, trying to calm my nerves. It was no use. They were officially wired. Instead, I settled for sitting up and laying him down on his back, and straddled him. I then put my hands in his hair, and pulled his face up to meet mine. I kissed him fiercely, and he kissed back with just as feverish attitude. His arms wrapped around my back as he pulled me closer to him.

"What happened?" I asked, finally pulling back and laying my head on his forehead.

"I don't know. I was on the deck, and then my head started hurting, and I passed out. I had a dream." He said, looking out of the window and then looking back at me.

"Same here. I was lying down, and then I fell asleep. I had a dream too." I said, sighing as I tried to erase the dream from my memory.

"What was the dream about?" He asked, reaching up to tuck some hair behind my ear. I frowned at him as I looked away, trying to control my emotion and expression.

"You died…" I whispered, finally look back at him. "You?" I asked, trying to sound indifferent. His face was one of shock, before confusion hit him.

"You died…" He said quietly, looking up at me. I blinked a few times. That had to be more than just a coincidence. Before I had time to analyze anything, I was suddenly being swept off of the ground. Next thing I knew, I was lying in the bed, with Hiei on top of me. He was kissing my collarbone and making his way upwards. He kissed my neck, and then my cheek, and finally kissing my mouth. He crushed me to him as one hand weaved through my hair, the other tightening around my waist.

I wrapped my legs around him and hugged him to me, not realizing how much I needed him then. That dream felt like more than a dream. And it scared me to death. The thought of Hiei dying was not something I cared to think of, and so I crushed him to me as we tangled ourselves up together, not caring about anything else.

Hiei pulled me up a little, pulling my shirt off of me. I blushed a little as he stared down at me, before taking his own shirt off. Now that I could deal with. I happily ran my hands over his stomach and up his chest, wrapping them around his shoulders as his own hands ran over my stomach, arms, and shoulders. He finally reached out with an aggravated sigh, unclasping my bra and quickly taking it off. He threw it across the room, and used his hands more properly on my body.

"A little impatient, aren't we?" I whispered in his ear.

"Hn." He said, bringing my mouth back to his. He pressed my chest into him and kissed me hard, leaving me completely breathless. That's when we realized we had to stop. He pulled back and looked at me, a frown on his face. "Dammit." He cursed under his breath. I smiled up at him, before bringing his lips down to mine one more time, and this time I kissed him softly.

"Relax. We have all the time in the world." I said quietly. He mulled that over for a minute, before sighing and getting off of me. That put a frown on my face. He gave out another sigh as he pulled his shirt back on, as I did mine. He turned to leave and placed his hand on the doorknob. "Tell them I'm really tired, and I'll talk about what happened tomorrow." I said quietly.

"Fine…I'll be back when they're all sleeping." He said, before leaving. I smiled at him and cuddle into my bed, still smelling like Hiei. That was intense. If they wouldn't have been right in the living room, we probably wouldn't have stopped. I thought back to the dream and my heart began thrumming again. That sucked. And I had absolutely no idea what to make of my emotions towards it. I sighed and turned over, drifting off into a light sleep.

Like promised, I felt an arm slip around me a couple hours later. I turned over to see a shirtless Hiei. My favorite. He smirked at me, and I glared at him.

"Reading my mind again, eh?" I whispered.

"I can only restrain myself for so long." He said, pulling me close to him and kissing me. I kissed him back before laying my head on his chest.

"Goodnight, Hiei." I said, closing my eyes and listening to his heartbeat.

"Hn." He said.


	40. For You

**Authors Note: Alright guys, i am extremely sorry for my lack of updating. It wasn't intentional, i promise. I've had quite a bit going on, along with working on another upcoming story that's going to be super important to me. That, and i've had a bit of a writers block with this one. But, that has come to an end, thankfully. This one is the beginning of the Dark Tournament, though there's not really any action in it. There will be lots of actions, however, in the upcoming ones. So please, stick around. And guys, i am REAL sorry for taking so long to get this out. lol. Please, please, please review. It's what makes me want to keep writing. I'll shut up now. Enjoy.**

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Tremble For My Beloved

:: Chapter Forty; For You ::

The rising sun shed new light into my hotel bedroom window, and a new light on me. It was early, that I was fairly sure of. My eyes fluttered open slightly as I yawned, feeling a little cold. I turned over and snuggled closer to the warmth lying next to me. I opened my eyes fully, to see Hiei's sleeping face. I stared at him for a few minutes, noticing just how the sun's rays gave his body a gold outline. He looked amazing, and very peaceful. I small smile crept on my face as I brought my hand up, letting my finger very lightly trace the features on his face. He stirred slightly, but didn't move as I traced my finger over the curve of his lip, and then up his cheekbone.

"What are you doing, Onna?" He asked, his voice light and quiet. I smiled wider before letting my hand rest on his shoulder.

"Nothing. Just…watching you." I said softly. He kept his eyes closed as he pulled me a little closer to him.

"Hn. Why?" He asked. I sighed as I laid my head on his chest, letting his warmth spread around me entirely.

"I don't know. Why not?" I asked, a small smirk on my face. He scoffed as he laid his head back to give me a look. "Don't look at me like that." I said, grinning as I let my hand tangle in his hair, before reaching up and kissing him. He kissed me back for a moment, before freezing. I froze too, giving him a look. "What are you—" I started, but was cut off by Hiei placing his hand over my mouth and telling me to keep quiet for a minute.

"Hiei's not in his room, so he's probably out on the cliffs training like usual. So, I'm gonna go see if Ayumi is awake." Yusuke's muffled voice came, my wolf ears finally picking up his footsteps walking across the hotel living room floor. I gave Hiei a worried look as he glared at the door.

"Stupid Detective." He mumbled, before kissing me quickly. I urgently kissed him back, and smiled up at him. He shook his head. "Stupid Onna." He mumbled. I glared at him before chuckling a bit.

"Get out." I finally said, as Yusuke's footsteps approached closer. I blinked and Hiei was gone. I shook my head. He was really fast. My door opened then and I looked over to see Yusuke's head poking in, shock on his face.

"Oh! Ayumi…you are up. I didn't think you would be." He said, walking in and shutting the door.

"Yeah, I only just woke up." I said, yawning a bit as I cuddled into the spot that Hiei was previously lying in; it was still warm.

"Yeah. So…I don't know if you noticed this…but you and Hiei kinda passed out on us yesterday. Any idea what that was about?" He asked, shoving his hands in his pocket as he looked away indifferently. I rolled my eyes at him before smiling.

"Yes. I did kind of notice, actually." I said casually, getting comfortable as Yusuke sat on the end of my bed.

"So…what happened then?" He asked, his eyes full of concern. I looked at him and frowned a bit, reliving part of that dream with him in it. He was crushed because of Hiei's death.

"I don't wanna have to tell the story more than once. So once we're all up and moving, I guess we'll call Koenma and talk about it." I said, feeling a little better than I was yesterday. I reluctantly pulled the blankets off of me, and sat up and stretched a bit, before standing up. Yusuke stood up with me, a bit of concern on his face. I stared at him for a few minutes, before frowning again. He had been so worried about me lately, it wasn't right. "Yusuke…" I said quietly, walking over to him and wrapping my arms around his waist and laid my head on his chest.

"Yeah?" He asked, wrapping his arms around my shoulders and hugging me to him.

"You're the best…you know that?" I asked softly, smiling up at him. He was so much like my brother, I couldn't imagine having him any other way. And I've been scaring him quite a bit lately, and I hadn't meant to. He grinned down at me before looking up at the ceiling as if contemplating.

"Actually…yes…I do know that." He said, smiling again as he looked backed down at me. I rolled my eyes and stood up on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek, before stepping back from him.

"Alright Mr. Hot Shot, get out. I need to change." I said, laughing a bit as his expression. He always looked so taken aback when I made fun of him, but I knew he enjoyed it since he did the same thing to me.

"Sure, sure." He said, leaving me to my privacy. I watched him leave and shook my head at him, and walked into the adjoining bathroom where I shut and locked the door. I stripped myself of my clothing, and realized my shirt still smelled like Hiei. I smiled a bit as I let it drop to the floor with the rest of my clothes. I turned on the shower and let it warm up, in the meantime, I checked myself over in the mirror.

I looked tired, definitely. I looked like I could use a few more hours of sleep. My eyes were red and puffy from crying the other night, and a little last night. My skin looked too much like ash than it's normal pale color. I frowned, not being happy with my appearance. I could really use a pick me up. I sighed as I finally stepped into the water, which was letting off steam. I didn't take too long, knowing everybody was waiting, so I showered quickly and turned the water off, stepping out and wrapping a fluffy white towel around me. I dried off quickly, and walked into my room and putting my training outfit on. Black Hakama pants and a form fitting white tank top, which tucked into the pants. Barefoot, as usual, I walked out of the room and into the living room after running a brush through my hair and shaking it out a little; giving it a wet tousled look.

Everyone was waiting for me, including Hiei, who was sitting on a windowsill and looking over at me curiously. I took in a deep breath and sat down on the couch in between Yusuke and Kuwabara, looking carefully at everybody.

"Alright, ask away." I said quietly. Koenma started first.

"Do you know what happened?" He asked. I frowned a bit, looking down and folding my hands together. I wasn't going to tell them everything, mostly because the dreams were extremely personal, and Hiei and I hadn't exactly gone public, so I wasn't going to make this harder on him than it already was.

"Well, not exactly. One minute I was just laying down on the boat, relaxing, and the next thing I knew I had passed out. And then, it just felt like I was dreaming, though it felt real. Then I woke up. Simple as that." I said, suddenly feeling a little wary.

"Well, what was the dream about?" Rosetta asked, her eyebrows rising together. I frowned a bit; this was where I had to edit my content.

"Honestly, I couldn't really tell you. It was all muddled, and everything seemed to just flow together at once. All of you were in it though, and everybody was sad. The setting kind of looked like a forest. I can't really tell you more than that." I said. Most of that was true; I just kept out the detail that had made everybody sad. Hiei had died. I automatically shoved the thought away, roughly placing it in the back of my mind and forgetting about it, and looked at Yusuke who had opened his mouth.

"Why do you think Hiei passed out too?" He asked. This time I was silent for a few minutes as I considered his question.

"Now that, I can't give you an answer for. I have no idea why it would affect Hiei as well. My best guess of what happened to begin with was another premonition. But I still don't see how it would cause Hiei to go through the same thing." I said.

"What about you, Hiei? What was your dream?" Kurama asked him, frowning a bit as he crossed his arms. Hiei's eyes slightly narrowed as he looked over at him, and he was silent for a moment.

"Mostly the same as Ayumi's. It was muddled, and hard to really get anything out of. But you were all in it, and it was sad. Mine, however, had a different setting. Instead of a forest, we were inside of a glacier." He said, crossing his arms and leaning against the window frame.

"A forest and a glacier. Hmm, I don't see the connection there either. What about everything else?" Kuwabara asked.

"The same. I was on the deck, passed out, and I woke up here." He said, now sounding a little bored.

"Well, that's certainly odd. I don't know what that was, but let's not do it again, alright? You two gave us quite the scare, and it definitely didn't help that today is the beginning of the Dark Tournament. Are you all ready?" Koenma asked, standing up.

"As ready as ever." Yusuke said, a cheeky grin filling his face.

"Alright. Well, Hiei and Ayumi, you guys try to take it as easy as you can. I know you probably won't listen, but I feel I should say it anyways. Good luck to you all." Koenma said, leaving ahead of us with Botan and George.

"Okay, so does anybody have the schedule?" I asked, looking around. Kurama nodded and gave me a folded up sheet of paper. I didn't really care about any of the future matches; I was more focused on the one we had to fight in less than an hour. Team Houshi. "Have any of you checked these guys out?" I asked, looking up from the sheet and handing it back to Kurama.

"They are all anthros. All of different types. There's a feline, a canine, a amphibian, an arachnid, and some sort of bird; of a prehistoric nature." Kurama said, counting off each type on his finger.

"A group of anthros? Wow, I don't see how that team would be even remotely possible to maintain." I said, thinking out loud.

"Why do you say that?" Kuwabara asked.

"Think about it. Rosetta and I can hardly contain ourselves from fighting each other, even though we are friends. It's a natural instinct, and not just because I'm a canine and she's a feline. It's an animal thing. We don't like being around others that aren't our kind." I said, crossing my arms.

"But you and Kurama don't fight. Neither does Rosetta and Kurama." Yusuke pointed out.

"The Pixie…I mean…Kurama, is an anthro. However, that anthro part of him is buried in the form of Yoko Kurama. He's not present in Kurama's present state, at all. When Yoko does become present, and we were alone in the same room, we would all fight." Rosetta said.

"Right. Well, if we're done discussing the brutality of animals, shall we head off?" I asked, standing up and stretching.

"Yeah, sure. Let's go." Yusuke said, beginning to head out of the room.

"Wait, Ayumi, shouldn't you eat something first?" Kuwabara asked, glancing at me worriedly. I blinked a few times, before rolling my eyes and walking into the kitchen. I went through the cabinets until I found a breakfast bar that had a strawberry filling on the inside. I opened it up and began eating it, heading out of the kitchen and back out to the others.

"Is this okay, mother?" I asked, looking up at Kuwabara's tall frame. He grinned and put an arm around my shoulder.

"That's more like it! You gotta keep your strength up Ayumi." He said, pointing a finger at me and speaking in a matter-of-fact tone. I glared up at him before smacking him in the stomach. He doubled over for a second and made a loud 'oof' noise, before standing back up and giving me a playful glare.

"What was that for?" He asked, rubbing the back of his head.

"Just a test. It seems to me my strength is just fine." I said, a smile on my face as I skipped ahead of him and stood in front of Yusuke. I heard Kuwabara grumbling behind me as we all stepped onto an elevator, which took us down to the first floor. And then we began our walk to the stadium. I made a slight wining noise as I laced my hands together and placed them behind my head, a habit I picked up from Yusuke, which was what he was doing as well.

"What's wrong?" He asked, walking next to me.

"Why does everything have to be three miles away from us?" I asked him, looking up at him. He blinked a few times.

"I don't know. Why don't you ask…whoever is in charge of…making things…three miles…" He said, trying to sound smooth. I rolled my eyes at him and laughed a bit, shaking my head.

"Dummy." I said, grinning up at him.


	41. It's On

Tremble For My Beloved

:: Chapter Forty-Two; It's On ::

We walked into the stadium, ignoring anybody who gave us a harsh look or yell. Yusuke had told me that nobody particularly liked their team. I had only snorted and told Yusuke that everybody else could shove it. I could see that he wasn't kidding, but I didn't care. They were a bunch of smelly, ugly looking demons, like most.

'_What was that, Onna?' _I heard in my head. I couldn't help but smirk a little as I silently chuckled in my head.

'_I said most demons were ugly and smelly.' _ I thought back.

'_Is that so?' _ Hiei asked, his voice playfully offended.

'_Hey, hey. I said most…not all of them. You smell intoxicating, and don't even get me started on your looks…'_ I said, trailing off, obviously smirking now.

'…_. Hn.' _He said, a small smirk on his face. He left my mind then as we entered the main part of the stadium, the crowd erupting in harsh insults and cheers of excitement. I ignored them completely and was concentrating on the team on the other side of the arena. Five of them were standing there, each one ranging from different sizes, but even from here I could smell which one was which. The bird type anthro was standing in the center, arms crossed and staring rather bored at everything. He seemed like the most sensible one out of them all. The feline was standing to his right, and she had her eyes fixed on Kurama.

The arachnid was to the birds left, and he seemed to be a little pissed off at nothing. He would occasionally glance towards Hiei, before looking around at nothing again. To the felines right was the amphibian. She was very tall, and green scales covering her skin that seemed to move. She didn't seem to care about who she fought. And finally, to the arachnids right was the canine. It was then that I noticed that he was glaring hatefully at me. On instinct, my lips curled back over my teeth as my fangs grew out, a low growl that made my body tremble racked through my body and my shoulders tensed. Yusuke frowned at me and placed his hands on my shoulders, restraining me slightly.

"Easy girl. You'll get your animalistic fight soon enough, for now, just relax." Yusuke whispered in my ear. I let his voice comfort me slightly, but I still kept a weary eye towards my soon to be opponent. The announcer, Juri, got in the ring then and placed one hand on her hip.

"Hello everybody! Welcome to the Dark Tournament! Today we're starting off with a wonderful match up. Last years winners, Team Urameshi!" She said, pointing over towards us. Almost every demon present jumped up to their feet and began spouting insults towards us. We ignored them, besides Yusuke of course who could only give them the finger. I shook my head, a small smile appearing on my face as I glanced over at him and then back on the arena. "And to my left is a team of anthros, Team Sari!" She said. There was a wild eruption of hooting and yelling as they wished for them to tear my team apart. They were so dumb. "Will the two team captains, please step forward!" Juri yelled.

Yusuke walked up into the ring without any hesitation, standing in the center with his arms crossed. There was a moment of hesitation in the anthro group, as they turned to each other to bicker who the captain was. I rolled my eyes and waited until finally the amphibian woman walked up to the center of the state with Yusuke.

"Team Captains, please decide your terms!" Juri announced, walking backwards slightly.

"My team doesn't really care how we fight. However…there are some of them who have specific request on who they wish to make their opponent." The amphibian said.

"We don't care either. Hell, if you want, you may choose your fighter first, and then that fighter gets to pick who they want to fight from our team. We really don't care." Yusuke said, a smirk on his face. My eyes automatically flitted to the other canine's, and I narrowed them again as a slow anger began to boil in my stomach. The amphibian looked a little surprised at Yusuke's response.

"This could put you at a disadvantage." She said, crossing her arms as her long and wavy orange hair fell down her back. Yusuke simply shrugged and placed his hands behind her head.

"Are you complaining?" He asked.

"Not at all. You've just made this a little easier for us, Yusuke Urameshi." She said, slowly extending her hand out towards him. It was then that I noticed her fingers were webbed. Creepy. Yusuke eyed it for a moment before sighing and placing his hand in hers as they shook on it.

"Yeah, yeah. I've heard that before…um…." Yusuke said, trailing off so she could offer her name.

"Dailya." She said, a small smile appearing on her face. Her teeth were sharp, and spread out, almost resembling a shark's set of teeth. Did I mention creepy?

"Right. Well, we've heard it all before. So honestly, do your worst, Dailya." He said, removing his hand out of hers and wiping it on his pants, giving her a slightly apologetic look. She didn't seem to mind.

"We plan to. Let the better team win." She said, trying to be sport friendly. Yusuke wasn't having any of that.

"We plan to." He simply said, before turning on her and walking back towards us. I couldn't help but grin at his antics and shook my head at him once more as he dropped down to the floor beside us. Dailya shook her head at him as well before returning to her group. There was a moment of discussion as Juri stepped in the center of the ring again.

"Alright! Both captains have decided to make this a one on one style match! There's a catch though, Team Sari will choose their fighter, and Team Sari will also choose their opponents fighter! This should be interesting folks! Team Sari, please choose your fighter!" She said, pointing over to them. There was another moment of discussion from Team Sari, and then the feline stepped up into the ring.

"I want the fox." She said, her lip snarling up above her mouth. If it weren't for the hateful glares I was getting from their canine, this feline would have my full aggravated attention. But for now, I was content on trying to keep myself from attacking their canine.

"Team Sari has chosen Yu, their ferocious feline to take on Team Urameshi's one and only Kurama!" Juri said, now pointing towards Kurama. Kurama gazed over at Yu once, before nodding and stepping up into the ring. There were shouts and the words 'traitor' going on everywhere, but he paid them no mind. "Let's try to shed some blood people, let the fight begin!" Juri said, raising her hand to signal they could fight.

Yu's long black hair grew out impossibly long, and black ears and a black tail appeared on her as well. Her fangs got longer, as did her nails. She growled at Kurama as she got into a fighting stance. She was a panther. This would indeed be interesting if nothing else. She circled him and he kept his calm persona as he always did and let her circle him. He didn't need to use such petty moves to analyze his opponents.

"You have your human form, but I know there is another form in you." She said, her voice coming out in a hiss like whisper, it had raised to a soprano as well.

"You are talking about Yoko Kurama." Kurama stated, rather than asked.

"I am. Could you bring him out for me? We have a score to settle." She said, hatred filling her eyes. Kurama looked a little surprised at this, before collecting his calm again.

"When I feel the need for Yoko Kurama to appear, he will surely make himself present. Until then, your opponent…is I!" Kurama said, lashing his arm out as the rose he was holding in his hand, that I didn't even see, turned into a whip. The whip lashed out and Yu tried to doge it, but missed it at the last second. The thorns on the whip slashed across her cheek, though she managed to escape most of the damage. She yelled out and gripped her face for a moment, before glaring at Kurama.

"We will see how long you can keep up with me, human." She said to him, before turning and running straight for Kurama. She jumped up at the last second, flipping over his back and slashing downwards with her claws. She caught him across the back and he stumbled forward, before turning around and quickly grabbing her arm and throwing her off to the side. She flung herself backwards again and landed on her feet. "Don't you know that cats always land on their feet?" She asked, licking one of her fangs. Kurama gave her a skeptical look and then rolled his eyes.

"If you're done making an ass out of yourself, let's continue." He said, holding his hand up and motioning for her to continue at him. I couldn't help but smirk at him. For a nice guy, he was surprisingly cold in battle.

"You have no idea." Hiei said then, looking up at the fight rather than looking at me. I looked over at him and smiled, before looking back up to Kurama. Yu didn't look all that happy at the comment. Whatever, she was after all making an ass out of herself. She ran forward with a yell, her claws outstretched and ready to slash at any part of Kurama she could hit. He side stepped, and swung his leg out and kicked her in the stomach. Her eyes widened as she coughed a bit, then glared at Kurama.

She swung her fist and connected with the side of his face. He stumbled again, but then regained his composure. He took a fighting stance and then blinked once before standing up straight and dusting himself off.

"This fight is over." He said simply. I blinked. What? Yu looked just as stunned as I did. What was that supposed to mean?

"What are you talking about traitor?" Yu asked, hissing at Kurama as she held her arm up.

"You'll find that you won't be able to move." He said after just a moment of silence. Yu's eyes narrowed, and she then tried to move, only she couldn't. Her eyes widened as she tried to pull against the bonds that weren't there.

"What the- what did you do to me!?" She yelled out, her temper obviously flaring. Kurama walked in front of her and grabbed her shoulders, gently placing Yu on the ground.

"Juri, I believe you may start the count." Kurama said, looking over at the shocked announcer.

"Right! One!" She called out, beginning the count out.

"When I first attacked you, I made that cut on your cheek. Then you proceeded to attack me, when I grabbed your arm and threw you that was when I also threw a tiny seed into that cut. When the seed is planted and watered, it grows into a beautiful flower. When blood touches it, however, the seed released a paralyzing toxin. It'll last for about ten minutes." He said, as if it were obvious. Yu glared at him and tried moving, only being able to move her mouth she yelled out. Kurama was brilliant, honestly.

"Ten! And the first round goes to Team Urameshi's own Kurama!" Juri said, motioning towards Kurama as he made his way off of the ring. He stepped down and clasped his hands behind his back, standing in front of a smirking Yusuke.

"Kick ass Kurama! Way to go!" Kuwabara said, pumping his fist in the air.

"That…. was really easy. I thought it was going to be way harder than that." I admitted to everybody, crossing my arms a bit as I looked at the other team.

"I told you not to worry yourself Ayumi. You got yourself all wound up over nothing. Don't get me wrong, it's not always easy, but these are the beginning rounds. It's going to be fairly easy getting through until we reach the semi-finals and anything after that." Yusuke said. I frowned a bit before looking at the ground.

"Yeah…it just seems a bit cocky to think it's all easy and what not. Even if it is the beginning fights." I said.

"Then maybe your definition of cocky needs to change, Onna. Don't tell me you're going to start doubting yourself just because you're better than a couple of a weak low class demons." Hiei said, a little harshly. I glared at him a bit, before giving him a pouted look.

"Of course I'm not…ugh…just shut up Hiei." I said, turning away from him. The Arachnid was standing in the ring.

"Fang has been chosen to fight for Team Sari! Fang, please choose your fighter!" Juri said, shouting enthusiastically into the microphone. An eruption of cheers came through the crowd, and more encouraging comments to tear my team apart. What a bunch of losers.

"I want Hiei." Fang said, his voice dull.

"Feh. About time." Hiei said. He was standing next to me, and before I could blink he was standing in front of Fang.

"Fang has chosen Hiei from Team Urameshi to fight! Shed some blood guys, please! Begin!"


	42. Body Bag

Tremble For My Beloved

:: Chapter Forty-Two; Body Bag ::

There was a moment of tense silence as Hiei and Fang sized each other up. Fang then doubled over and breathed hard a few times, until his shirt ripped open. From his back, eight long spider legs shot out and landed, each of them coated in a sticky looking substance. I tried not to gag as a disgusting smell reached my nose, though Hiei was taking it considerably well. He hadn't moved an inch.

Fang moved forward, at an alarming rate. Hiei was still standing perfectly. Fang was in front of him in less than two seconds, and swung his right fist. It connected squarely with Hiei's face. Hiei flew backwards and hit the ground, sliding a little before hesitantly sitting back up and staring at Fang, a glare on his face. Fang hesitated then.

"You could have blocked that." Fang said, his voice dull and monotonous. Hiei just stared at him, without saying a word. Fang's eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms. "You're testing my speed and strength." He finally said, still sounding bored. Again, Hiei didn't say anything. That finally got a response from Fang as he growled slightly and ran forward again. Hiei didn't move. Fang stopped an inch in front of Hiei, and then disappeared to behind him. He raised his fist to attack Hiei from behind, and Hiei turned his head very slowly to stare at him. Fang looked in Hiei's eyes, and hesitated, stumbling a bit to catch himself before he flung himself away from Hiei. Hiei turned his head slowly again to stare at him.

Fang stood still for a moment, unsure of what to do now. Hiei was stood completely still, his eyes intent on Fang's own eyes. There was a few minutes of tense silence, and finally Hiei's third eye opened and glowed brightly behind the bandana. The bandana burned away, to reveal the Jagan eye, which was staring at Fang just as intensely as Hiei's eyes were. Fang took a step back, and then glared at Hiei. He ran forward and threw his hand out, a white web shooting out of his hand.

Hiei narrowed his eyes as he crouched down. I knew this stance; he was getting ready to propel himself towards Fang. The web flew towards Hiei and expanded, preparing to wrap around Hiei's body. That's when Hiei finally moved. He propelled himself with his legs, and the now enlarged web closed around thin air. Hiei raced towards Fang, not using his full speed yet. It was then that he noticed the web was following him, and Fang had a smirk on his face. Hiei's face was calm of any emotion, except for the small sadistic smirk he sent back towards Fang. He ran until he was an inch in front of Fang and stopped still for a second.

"What are you doing!?" Fang yelled, clearly annoyed.

"You're going to die today." Hiei said, his voice chilling. And then Hiei jumped over Fang and landed behind him. What Fang failed to see, was the web that was chasing Hiei didn't have time to change course, before it wrapped itself around Fang. It closed tightly around him, binding him in the sticky substance.

"This is my own web, I can get out of it." Fang said, laughing a bit as he began to free himself. Hiei's back was facing Fang, as he pulled out his katana.

"Hn. Like I'm going to give you the time." He said, before turning around and slicing his katana down. The blade sliced through Fang like butter, and at first nothing happened. Two seconds later, the two pieces fell apart from each other, and landed on opposite sides of the katana. Blood spilled from the now two pieces of Fang, along with several of his body organs.

Hiei stood up and looked at his katana in disgust, before flicking his wrist and slinging blood and body organ chunks off of it, before sheathing it. He then sharply looked over at Juri, who slightly screamed.

"Right. Due to the death of Fang, Team Urameshi picks up the win!" She said, holding her hand up and then pointing towards Yusuke. Hiei walked away from the now shouting crowd and jumped off of the stadium, to stand in front of Yusuke.

"There's something wrong with you." Yusuke said, shaking his head a little. Hiei smirked and placed his hands inside of his coat pockets.

"The first rounds are too easy. It's almost like childs play." He said, turning to face the team again.

"You're so creepy! You know, I'm glad you're on our side Hiei." Kuwabara said.

"Hn." Hiei said. I smiled at him. Typical. He just gave a cold hearted display and was downright creepy, and now he's back to being…well…Hiei. I smelt something then, and my I automatically began bearing my teeth as I turned to look at the stage. Their wolf was standing in the center of the ring. His teeth were barred too, and his whole body was trembling. He raised his hand and pointed at me.

"You." He whispered, his voice breaking because of his growling. I growled back and walked forward, jumping onto the ring. My eyes phased from their normal color to completely red, before phasing back. I was beginning to lose control of the wolf inside of me.

"Sakyo of Team Sari has chosen Ayumi of Team Urameshi! This animalistic fight is about to begin, so I'll shut up so you can enjoy! Begin!" Juri said, walking out of the way. Sakyo began running towards me, his whole body trembling as he dropped to all fours and continued his running. His clothes ripped from his body, and brown fur began covering his entire body. He rose in size, and now running towards me was a monstrous brown wolf. I barred my teeth and ran towards him, the same thing happening to my own body; only I could feel the length of my black fur was longer than his. We were equal in size now, and ran full length at him.

We clashed in the middle, loud barks and growls filling the stadium as he lodged his right paw into my side. I yelled out and threw my own right paw into his throat. He yelped out in pain and stumbled back a bit, before growling and running towards me. I jumped over him and landed, turning around and lunging for him. He turned and lunged at the same time, and we were now on our back legs as he pawed at each other.

His teeth gripped the side of my neck as he tried to shake his head, and pull me to the ground, but something was snapping inside of me. A hot anger was boiling inside of me, and making its way through my entire body. I growled as loud as I could, and used my weight to push him off of me. I then ran towards him and bent down into a crouch, and then propelled myself into him. He yelled out as we fell to the ground, him on his side with me on top of me.

He turned his body so he tried to stand up again, but I pushed him over again so he was on his back now. He growled loud at me, realizing I was trying to get him into the submissive position. He fought back at me, finally being able to push me off of him. But I crouched low again and slammed into him at full force, knocking him completely onto his back.

I stood over him and knocked his head upwards, his growling beginning to subside as it turned into whimpering. I then placed my teeth at his throat and held it there, daring him to move. His tail tucked between his legs and all four of his legs curled up, his head facing upward as he began whimpering to me. This was the submissive hold, and he was acknowledging that I was the Alpha.

Juri stepped into the ring, a frightened look on her face as she began counting. The anger was still burning bright in me, and I held him there for ten seconds.

"Ayumi from Team Urameshi wins! Team Urameshi advances to the next round!" Juri yelled. The screams came back to me then as I released him and backed off a bit. He stood up, but he was lower to the ground than I was as he walked passed me. I stood at full height and stared down at him, my instincts telling me he could challenge me at any time. My eyes fazed back to blue as he passed me and walked off the ring, now in his very naked human form. My eyes faltered a bit as I begun to change back into my human form. Thankfully, Hiei was in the ring before I phased back completely, and he had his cloak around me in seconds. He picked me up and led me off the ring, handing me over to Yusuke.

"You did great Ayumi! You were scary as hell though!" He said. I smiled up at him and nodded, before yawning and placing my head against his chest.

"That wasn't as hard as I thought it would be." I said.

"See! We told you! You have nothing to worry about until we get to the harder people." Kuwabara said, crossing his arms confidently.

"That seemed too easy though. We don't have to fight the rest of them, since we won three out of five rounds. It's like they didn't even try." I said, looking over at them. Their wolf was still naked and I frowned at him. How could he do that? He was looking intently at me though, in a rather uncomfortable way, and I looked away only to see Hiei now glaring over in his direction. I shoved it away for now and then looked at Kurama for an answer.

"They did try. Ayumi, try to remember that we've done this before. This is this team first year in the tournament, and for a lot of weaker demons it takes them several tries to make it to the semi-finals. They tried, but they lost." He said. I nodded. That made sense. I sighed a bit and then leaned back against Yusuke's chest.

"I'm sleepy." I mumbled. Yusuke laughed as we turned to leave the arena, making our way back to the hotel. We didn't have to fight until the following day. It was going to be rather interesting, but I was glad the first round wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. A thought occurred to me then.

"I wonder if Demeter was watching." I said, which earned a hateful glare from Yusuke at the particular tree we were passing.

"I hope he was." He said.


	43. The Awakening

....it's been a long time. i know. i apologize. =/ there's really no excuse for why this took so long, but, i had a bit of a block for a while, and then my bf went overseas to Iraq and what not, so i really just wasn't in the mood for any of this. so, again, i apologize for the wait. please enjoy this, and let me know what you think? thanks for sticking with me for so long, for those that are still there. enjoy.

* * *

Tremble For My Beloved

:: Chapter Forty-Three; The Awakening ::

We made it back to the hotel, where Zee and Rosetta were already waiting, and I relaxed a bit. I wasn't use to phasing in and out of that form, so my bones were feeling a little like jelly at the moment.

"You look like you had fun." Rosetta said, sitting down on the couch next to me and crossing her arms.

"Yeah, it was great. I went into beast mode and showed everyone just what a dog I am." I said sarcastically. Rosetta laughed at me and rubbed my head a little bit.

"Oh pup, it's not so bad. It's kinda fun when you tell everyone else you're the dominant one." She said, nodding her head in emphasis. I thought of that for a moment and nodded, agreeing with her.

"Yeah, it was kinda fun." I said, grinning a bit. She laughed with me as Yusuke sat on the other side of me and put his arm around my shoulders.

"So, easy or what?" He asked me, looking relaxed and comfortable. I thought for a moment before answering.

"It wasn't the most easiest thing in the world, but…it wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be." I said, a sheepish smile on my face.

"I told you that you'd be fine." He said, relaxing a little more into the couch as he yawned. I shook my head at him before stretching a bit, and standing up.

"I'm gonna go shower." I mumbled, walking into my bedroom and straight to the bathroom. I looked in the mirror then, unsure of how I was really feeling at the moment. I wasn't used to this, but I was getting better. I used to look in the mirror and feel like a stranger was staring back at me, but I was slowly finding myself and seeing more of me in the mirror everyday. I looked towards the door, motioning towards all of my friends out there. They've helped me so much. I frowned a bit, knowing I could never repay them, before I sighed and turned the water on the shower; stripping down to nothing, and then getting inside. I let the shower water hit me, not really moving much as I let the warm water relax me.

And then I noticed the marks on my shoulders and arm, from where Sakyo had clawed at me. And then I looked down at my side and winced at the sight. I had four very long scratch marks along my torso that wrapped out, though they were slightly healed over now.

"That better not scar." I mumbled to myself, feeling a little angry but shaking it off and finally beginning to wash myself. I washed quickly then, and stepped out and dried off, pulling on a fluffy white bathrobe. I let out a deep sigh as I left the bathroom, feeling really exhausted for some reason, and I went into my suitcase and pulled on a pair of short black jean shorts, and a red tank top. I popped most of the joints in my body then, before running a brush through my hair.

I fell on the bed then, and fell asleep. It wasn't until hours later when I woke up, and the moon was shining out of my window. I blinked a few times, shaking the grogginess off as I sat up and yawned, looking at the time. It was midnight. Damn, I had slept for longer than I thought; eight hours. I stood up and stretched again, suddenly feeling very elated. It was odd.

I walked out into the living room and found nobody, which wasn't surprising. Everybody was probably sleeping. I was then feeling really energetic, and I looked down to see a thin film of light covering my entire body. I furrowed my eyebrows, but didn't shy away from the feeling. I wasn't sure why then, but I felt the need to leave the hotel. I frowned and turned back into my bedroom, and opened the window to look out. I looked down and saw a field down on the ground, and a strong pull was telling me to fly down there.

I stepped onto the windowsill and stared out into the ocean for a second. It was a beautiful scene, really, but there was something down there that I needed to see. I took in a deep breath, and jumped out of the window. I took a dive position and headed straight for the ground, letting the air hit my face and my body for a bit, before letting my wings spread out white and I pushed them down. This kept me floating just above the ground now as I looked up and looked around, feeling the impulse to go deeper into the woods.

I left then, taking off at a comfortable pace, letting my wings carry me wherever that impulse led, and I took in my surroundings. The forest was full of trees, but left enough space for the moonlight to come through. It casted a shine type of glow around everything, and kept a lit path for me as well. I picked up the pace then, wanting to get to wherever I was going as fast as possible.

I then reached a clearing and stopped, letting my feet softly touch the ground. The wind blew through and swept everything in one direction, and that's when I smelt him.

"Hiei?" I called out, walking forward a little bit as I looked around. A figure came out of the shadows then and stood in the center of the clearing, and once the wind stopped blowing the moonlight hit him, lighting up his face. It was Hiei.

"You made it." He said, putting his hands inside his coat pockets. I looked around, wondering if anyone else was here. "We're alone." He said, answering my unasked question. I looked back at him and placed my hands behind my back, intertwining them together.

"Why are we here?" I asked. He was quiet for a moment as he sized me up, and he titled his head to the side then.

"It's time for you to wake up." He said. I raised an eyebrow at him and walked forward, but keeping a safe distance from here.

"Wake up? What are you talking about? I am awake." I said, definitely confused. But I knew what he was saying was the truth. What was going on?

"You've been sleeping. For quite some time now. It's time for you to wake up." Hiei said. And then his eyes turned into a golden color, and beautiful gold wings sprouted from his back. My eyes widened as he was engulfed in a bright white light, and his figure seemed to melt away. When the light faded, there was somebody else standing in the place of Hiei. But in a sense, it was still Hiei.

For one thing, he was much taller, and more built. He was also naked, and staring intently at me. He had Hiei's face though, and his hair, but his eyes remained gold. My eyebrows furrowed again as I thought. I had seen this face before. My eyes widened then as I took a step back.

"You're a Profit." I whispered. He let out an immense power then, and bright light flowed outward from him and surrounded me as well. I immediately felt warm and calm, but I was still confused. I went down on one knee and placed my fingertips on the ground, bowing my head to him.

"Ayumi. You are our Maiden, one of us even, why do you bow?" He asked me, his voice a double of Hiei's voice, and a deeper voice.

"I am a Maiden. You are a profit. You are the ones I see in my visions, the ones who guide me." I said, knowing what to say without really thinking about it.

"Stand." Was all he said. I stood up slowly and looked up at him.

"Why did you take over Hiei's body?" I asked then, curious.

"This corporal form is quite taken with you, and you with him. He was the right choice to draw you here." He said after a moment of silence. "This place is different from where I reside in." He then said, looking down at me. I nodded.

"Yes. You are in a linear time existence. We experience something, and in the next moment that experience becomes the past. The moment after that but has yet to happen is called our future. The time we reside in at the current moment is called the present." I said.

"Ah, yes. Linear. It is inefficient." He said then. I couldn't help but smile a little.

"Time doesn't exist in your place, so I would expect that any Profit would say the same thing." I said, teasing him a little. He was a very warm person, but still very powerful. It was a little overwhelming.

"It is time for you to awaken your full powers Ayumi." He said then, staring up at the moon. I stared at him for a moment, and looked up as well. The moon was a golden color. I looked back at him and took in a deep breath.

"Am I ready?" I asked, taking a step forward.

"You are ready." The Profit said, taking a step forward to me as well. I nodded and closed the distance between us and bowed my head again. He raised a hand and placed it on my head, and everything went still. "Do not fear what you do not know. You will overcome your enemies." He said.

"It is not my enemies I fear." I said, reciting the same words I suddenly knew thousands of Maidens had said before.

"If not your enemy, then who do you fear?" He asked.

"I fear nobody but myself." I said then. There was a moment of silence.

"And what is within you that causes your fear?" He asked.

"Power. Great power that if I let get the better of me, it will destroy me." I said.

"Can you harness this power for good, Ayumi?" He asked me. I was silent for a moment.

"I can. I have the strength, I have the will power, and I am not alone. I have my friends, who will help me whenever I stray from my path. Profit, I am ready." I said then, knowing the words I spoke were the truth. I would be okay.

"You are ready." He said, and there was another moment of silence. I then felt a sharp pain in my stomach and I fell to my knees, gasping for breath. But the pain turned into pleasure then, and it spread throughout my body. I could see a sharp gold outline surrounding my body, and a white light emitted from it. I was lifted into the air then, and my wolf ears and tail disappeared. My wings spanned out and grew twice their size, and my hair grew long as well.

I landed back on the ground in a white celestial dress, and in my hand was a large gold scepter that spiraled at the top. In the spiral was a piece of crystal that glowed white and pulsated. I looked up at the Profit, only to find him gone. In his place was Hiei, who was gaping at me. I smiled at him.

"I'm not longer a Sun Maiden." I said, looking down at myself and frowned a bit. "I don't understand the whole dress thing though…why are there always long difficult dresses?" I asked, thinking about it then. Hiei was silent and I looked back up at him. "Are you okay?" I asked, moving towards him.

"I'm fine, Onna." He said then, glaring a little bit. I smiled softly and looked up at the moon, the gold coloring bleeding out of it. I held up my scepter as a bright light came out of the tip and shot towards the moon, and along with it went my change. I was now back in my shorts and tank top, my wolf ears and tail, and my shorter red hair. I stumbled a bit, feeling dizzy, but was caught by Hiei.

"You're not longer Maiden then, huh? So what does that make you? Sun Goddess?" He asked. I smiled up at him and stood up, but kept my arms around his neck.

"Something like that. I'm not really good with title names." I said, smiling a bit. He stared at me then, and then glared. "What?" I asked, looking at him innocently.

"I'm not happy about being taken over by…whatever that was." He said, looking away from me.

"Hiei?" I asked him, he turned to look at me and narrowed his eyes.

"What?" He snapped.

"You're never happy." I said, keeping a stoic face. He stared at me for a moment before smirking.

"That's not the point." He said. I grinned then and leaned up to kiss him. He kissed me back for a moment before pulling back and looking down at me. "We should get back." He said. I nodded.

"Yeah…not quite sure how to explain this one to everyone." I said, looking back in the direction of the hotel. Hiei shrugged.

"Not my problem." He said, placing me on his back and walking out of the clearing. I rolled my eyes at him and rested my head on his shoulder, feeling drained now.

"Thanks." I said, adding a sarcastic tone to it. It was quite for a second before Hiei sent his own sarcastic comment back.

"Anytime." He said.


	44. If It Were You

Tremble For My Beloved

::Chapter Forty-Four; If It Were You::

We made it back to the hotel and I got down from Hiei's back, and spread my wings. I held out my hand to Hiei and he looked at it for a second before looking back at me.

"How about a short fly over the ocean before we go back? I'm not very tired…" I said, wondering if he'd like to go. He was silent for a minute.

"Hn." He said, and took my hand. I smiled at him and took off into the air, wrapping my arms around his waist. Our speed kept him vertical with me, making it easier to navigate. I flew off of the cliff and dived down towards the water, and then pulled up a little so we were now flying parallel with it.

"Do you like swimming, Hiei? I know you're a fire demon and all, so I wasn't sure if you liked water." I said, looking down at the crystal blue water.

"I like swimming just fine." He said, reaching a hand down to touch the water with his fingertips. I smiled at him before slightly shaking my head and picking up a little speed. I went upwards then, flying directly towards the moon and stopped once we were extremely high in the air. From up here, the moon seemed a lot bigger to me. "We need to go back now." Hiei said then, his voice quiet as he stared at the moon too. I nodded in agreement.

"Right." I said, before turning and heading back towards Hanging Neck Island. I flew parallel with the water again, and then parallel with the cliff, and raced up towards my window. I stepped onto the windowsill, and set Hiei down first, before folding my wings up and making them disappear. I stepped down onto the floor then, and turned to shut the window.

I turned back around to find Hiei still there, looking at me. I moved past him and sat in the center of my bed, pulling my knees up to my chest. He sat on the edge of my bed, and turned to look at me.

"What's on your mind?" He asked then. I gave him a quizzical look.

"Like you couldn't just find out on your own." I said, yawning a bit. He shrugged.

"I was being polite. But, I can read your mind instead." He said. I laughed at him then.

"Sure, sure. Anyways, nothing really is on my mind. I just want this tournament to be over with already. I just want to kill Demeter and be done with it." I said, suddenly feeling anxious.

"I know you're much more powerful now, but that still doesn't mean you're ready for Demeter. You have yet to apply this new power you have." He said, leaning back against the wall. I grimaced a bit and laid down, sighing as I faced away from him.

"I know. I just hate waiting. And this whole tournament thing is stupid." I mumbled, getting sleepy. I felt the bed shift as Hiei lied down next to me, and his warmth immediately enveloped me, and I instinctively moved towards it. He wrapped his arm around me and held me to him, laying his head on my shoulder.

"This tournament isn't hard. You'll come out of it with a few scrapes and bruises; you'll be fine. Onna…I want to tell you something." He said then, sounding a little uncomfortable. He didn't get a reply from me; I was fast asleep. He looked down at me to check and then glared slightly. "Baka onna." He mumbled before staring at me for a while longer, and he finally laid his head back down next to mine, his thumb tracing small designs in my hand. "Goodnight." He whispered, before falling asleep as well.

-*-*-*-*-

I woke up slowly, enjoying the sun lightly hitting my face and the smell of ashes and burning wood filling my nose. I smiled and turned over to face Hiei, curling into his chest. He smelt so wonderful.

"Thanks." He mumbled, still half asleep. I rolled my eyes before kissing the tip of his nose, and closing my eyes. "Don't go back to sleep." He whispered, keeping his eyes closed as he rested.

"Why?" I whispered back, wanting to go back to sleep.

"We have a tournament to win." He said back, his voice quiet. I was silent for a minute while I lightly blushed. "Onna." He said, finally opening his eyes. I chuckled.

"That's not very nice." I said. He shrugged.

"I'm not very nice." He said back. This time, I shrugged. He was silent for a moment, before sitting up and staring at the door, a small frown on his face. I frowned too, I wasn't happy about him moving away from me. "Yusuke's coming to 'wake you up'. I swear he's really getting on my nerves." Hiei said, still not looking at me. I smiled and sat up then, placing my hand on his face and turning him towards me. I leaned in and kissed his softly, letting my other hand trace small designs in his arm. I pulled back and put my head on his shoulder for a minute. "I'll see you in a bit." He said quietly, turning to face me. He kissed me quickly, and then got out of the bed, grabbing his shirt. In a second, he was gone. The door opened and Yusuke walked in, and I suddenly had déjà vu.

"You always come in here in the morning." I said, smiling at him. He grinned back and walked in, putting an arm around my shoulder. But he stopped short, and looked down at me, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Ayumi…your power level is sky rocketing. What happened?" He asked. I frowned and stood up, yawning a bit.

"It's kind of a long story. But, well, I guess you could say I got an upgrade. I'm no longer just a sun maiden; I'm a sun goddess now. An Oracle came to see me last night, and granted me the powers. If I use them well, I get to keep them. Cool, huh?" I asked, moving around him to head to the bathroom.

"Yeah, sure. Real cool Ayumi." Yusuke said sounding a little annoyed. I stopped for a moment before turning to face him.

"What?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"Nothing. I guess you'll explain later. Hurry up and get ready, we have to go down to the arena soon." He said, leaving. I frowned but watched him go, and then sighed and turned to face the bathroom. I don't know his problem was, but hopefully he was just worrying. He did that a lot these days. I showered quickly and got out, drying off and putting on black hakama pants and a white tank top that tucked into the pants. I was barefoot, of course, and I left brushed my hair and put it in a ponytail. I left my room to see everyone out there, except for Kuwabara.

"Where's Kuwabara?" I asked. And then I noticed Kurama missing. I frowned. "And Kurama?" I asked. Yusuke chuckled.

"They went to go train for the day. They're taking a time out. Rosetta and I are going to be filling in." Zee said, obviously excited. I grinned.

This was going to be a lot of fun.


	45. You Raise Me Up

Tremble For My Beloved

:: Chapter Forty-Five; You Raise Me Up ::

I couldn't wait for this fight to begin. I was excited to see Rosetta fight, but I was also excited for Zee to fight. I haven't seen him fight yet, and him being a very special shadow demon was going to be something amazing to watch. We got to the arena where Juri announced our entrance, and we were once again shout at by the crowd. We didn't pay any attention.

"And filling in for Kuwabara and Kurama are Team Urameshi's replacements, Rosetta and Zee!" Juri said, pointing towards the two of them. There was a slight silencing in the crowd as everybody stared at Rosetta, and there was a rush of whispers, before the shouting started again. Rosetta crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, putting her long curly hair up in a ponytail. Apparently Rosetta was pretty well known in the Makai.

Rosetta was wearing a dark beige colored pair of shorts, with overall hooks on them. They went over the black tuck in tank top she was wearing. She was also wearing hiking boots, probably steel-toed, and had her huge prophecy blade strapped to her back. Zee was wearing black boots, black baggy jeans, and a tight black shirt. At first I thought he was just a dark person, but then I realized his eyes were a bright enough purple that he didn't need anymore color on him. It was pretty cool to look at, actually.

"Man, I don't feel like fighting today." Yusuke said suddenly, yawning and stepping up into the ring with the other captain. He was a male, with long blonde hair that was tied back into a low ponytail, and slit gray eyes. I noticed the rest of his team was similar in appearance.

"Team Koya is a team of serpents. Not very strong. Their strongest is the short one in the back; she's an anaconda. The leader is a python. The other male is a rattlesnake, and the two female twins are coral snakes." Hiei said, shoving his hands in his pockets. I gave him a look. Well, this ought to be interesting.

"Okay! The two team leaders have decided! This will be a two on two match up! Each team will be paired up into two's, which means there will be only two matches for this round! If there's a tiebreaker, the team leaders will fight! First team to get two victories will move on to the next round! Let the fighting begin! Please, pick your first pair to enter the ring." Juri said to both my team and team Koya's. Rosetta and Zee instantly were standing in the center of the ring, Rosetta with her hands on her hips and Zee's with his crossed. "Team Urameshi has chosen their replacements, Rosetta and Zee, to fight the first round! Team Koya, please choose your fighters!" Juri said.

There was a moment of silence before the two coral snake twins stepped up into the ring.

"And for Team Koya, Tessa and Kessa will be fighting! Alright guys, let's shed some blood! Begin!" She said, backing up a little to give the four fighters some room. The two twins were very weird looking. They both had long black hair, though it seemed to be all one piece of hair that was slanted backwards and had a point at the end. Their eyes were a golden color, and they were in slits. They wore leotard looking outfits that were black, yellow, red, and white. I couldn't remember that dumb rhyme to see if they were poisonous, but them being demons, I assumed they were the dangerous kind.

They grabbed each other's hands, and held them outwards, where a yellow light surrounded both of them. Their forms shifted from solid to silhouette, and then they became elongated. They seemed to stretch, and stretch, and grow in size, until they were in the forms of two snakes, combined at the tail. They were humongous, roughly taking up half of the ring by just standing up. Rosetta and Zee eyed each other before Zee grinned and grabbed Rosetta's hand, bringing it up to his mouth for a kiss.

"Try not to get bit." He said teasingly. Rosetta rolled her eyes.

"Well, I can't promise you anything." She said right back before reaching behind her to pull out her prophecy blade. Now that I was looking at it, I noticed just how huge this sword was. It was very long, and very wide. In the center of it, there was what looked like a beautiful red feather in the center of it. The handle was made of gold, and looked to have very intricate designs on it.

"It's a beautiful sword." Hiei answered to my thoughts. I smiled and nodded.

"Yeah it is." I agreed.

The snakes were hissing and thick and nasty clear goo was sliding from their fangs and dripping onto the floor. It was a little revolting. They hissed at the pair and Rosetta only grinned, tightening her grip on her sword. Zee took off, and I blinked in surprise. He was massive, like a bear, and yet he was probably as fast as I was. Rosetta stayed put for a few minutes, before taking off behind him. She was fast too, though I blamed that on the mile long legs she has.

They ran in sync, up until Zee got almost right in front of the snakes. He bent down then on his knee and braced his hands against the ground. Rosetta kept running, picking up her pace until she ran up to Zee's back. She took a step on it, and then a step on his shoulder, before he stood up and used his weight to give her an extra push, and she was sent flying in the air. At the same time, one of the snakeheads shot down towards Zee, who dodged at the last second.

Rosetta flew into the air, becoming eye level with the second snakehead, and she twisted, extending out her let and sending the toe of her boot into the temple of the snake. It hissed out in pain and slithered backwards a bit, and Rosetta twisted her prophecy blade in a circle above her head, before aiming it at the snake, where it's throat was. She stabbed it into the snake, and held onto the handle. Her weight brought the sword down in a straight line, causing a long and deep gash in the snake. It hissed and squawked, trying to move away.

Meanwhile, Zee was wrestling around with the other snakehead, and he finally stood up and backed away from it. He placed his hands on the ground as a black aura appeared around him, and his eyes turned into a bright purple. He slowly pulled his hand up, and a long and thick black sheet of something was being pulled up with it. Once it was completely off the ground he stretched it out, testing its flexibility, before grinning.

The snake struck forward again, and Zee dodged, once again barely missing the left fang of the snake.

"Now, now. I think everybody just needs to calm down." Zee said, jumping on top of the snake. It rose up high, trying to shake Zee off, but he held on. He finally ran up to the head and stretched out the piece of blackness in his hands, and set it on top of the head. He then held his hands towards the ground again and lifted up, two arm looking shadows forming out of the ground and wrapping themselves around the snakes body so it couldn't move, holding him down. "There. That oughta hold ya, you little bastard." He said.

Rosetta stepped onto the ground and pulled her prophecy blade out, before looking deep into the snake's eyes. She was panting, and still trying to attack Rosetta who was dodging easily.

"I never really liked snakes. Slimy little things." She said, before she swung her prophecy blade around at blinding speed, and it slicked through the snake's neck like butter. She held it out to her side, glancing at the black and green goo forming on her blade and she sighed. She flicked her wrist a few times, slinging goo off of it, before sheathing it at her back. She then walked over to where Zee was with his arms folded, looking at the twin snake.

He was struggling to get out of Zee's shadow hands, but it was no use. The more he moved, the tighter the arms got. It was almost like a snake capturing a snake. The blackness he had put on his head had begun moving, integrating itself into the snakes skin and spreading out, covering every inch of it in a dark blackness. Rosetta looked at him, a little disgusted.

"Zee, you don't have to torture the poor thing." She said, placing her hands on her hips. Zee shrugged.

"Hey, who knows when I'll get to fight again? I want to make a good show." He simply said. She rolled her eyes a bit before looking back at the snake, which was now going limp. The blackness had covered it completely, except for the mouth, which it was slowly doing. Now that I looked at more of it, it looked like extremely black latex looking glove. It finally covered its mouth, and the snake found some extra strength, probably from fear, and began thrashing around. I got it then.

The snake couldn't breath. Zee was going to suffocate her. I shook my head a bit, feeling a little sorry for it, as it tried to open its mouth to break the glove. It didn't work. Every time it tried the latex would simply move with it, or move to adjust itself to the new form. The snake couldn't do anything. It finally fell limp onto the ground, and not moving. One snake was covered in a black glove, suffocated to death. And the other was lying flat with it's blood spilled everywhere and no head. I shook my head. How disturbing. Juri stood in the ring then and gave the snakes a reproachful look.

"Well, it looks like the two snakes are definitely dead. So, Team Urameshi takes the first round!" She called out, pointing towards my team. I smiled at Rosetta and Zee who stepped off of the stage, in sync, and stood next to Hiei and I.

"Dude! You guys were awesome!" I said, Yusuke coming to my side to agree.

"Yeah! That was definitely kick ass!" Yusuke said, pumping his fist into the air. Rosetta shook her head and smiled, looking over at Zee.

"Hey, all I did was swing my sword around. Zee decided to torture the poor thing." She said, shaking her head. Zee shrugged.

"It was trying to bite me, so I figured what better way to teach it not to bite, then by covering it's mouth with something it couldn't break." He said. I laughed.

"What was that by the way?" I asked. Zee was quiet for a moment before answering.

"It's one of my shadow techniques, in all aspects, it is like a thick latex material, but it is also nothing. I pulled a sheet of darkness out of the dark abyss's of death." He said. This caught Hiei's attention.

"You can reach into the other realm?" Hiei asked. Zee nodded.

"Yeah. I just grabbed a sheet of death itself, and placed it on top of the snake's head." Zee said.

"And once it placed on a living thing it goes to work covering the entire thing, suffocating it." Hiei said, crossing his arms. Zee nodded.

"You got it." He said, grinning a bit. Hiei was quiet for a moment, before narrowing his eyes.

"I want to do it." He said. Everyone laughed at him then, knowing full well he'd try too, before Juri got our attention.

"Teams, please place in your other two available fighters. Captains, you sit this one out until it's over!" Juri said, looking at us. And then I realized I was about to fight a teamed match, with Hiei. My heart sped up as I thought about it.

'_Relax, Onna. We'll be fine.' _ Hiei thought to me. I looked at him and smiled, nodding, and walking onto the stage with him. The rattlesnake male and the short anaconda female stepped into the ring, and crossed their arms.

This should be interesting.


	46. Airplanes

**Authors Note: **Yeah, okay, so i know i've been gone forever. There's really no excuse, all i can say is i've been on this huge block. And i have no idea if it's over or not. I know i got this chapter out, but i'm not making any promises that the block is totally gone and i can start posting normally again. All i can say is that i'll try. Thank you, to those of you who have stayed with me for so long. Sorry this is taking so long to get out. lol. Well, enjoy!

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**Tremble For My Beloved**

:: Chapter Forty-Six; Airplanes ::

I was ready for this fight. More than anything, actually, I was ready for this. Juri stepped up into the middle of the ring and held her hand up in the air.

"Okay guys, let's get this show on the road! Begin!" She shouted, bringing her hand down before backing up. Hiei and I took our stances as well as the two snakes. With only a second of hesitation, the two of them shot forward. They turned into half snakes, parts of their bodies becoming long in some parts. Including their legs, which had melted together to become one long piece of flesh. It was disgusting.

They stopped short and flung their tails around, intending to hit us with them. Hiei and I both knelt on the ground and crossed our arms in front of our face in the shape of an X. I smirked. The tails smashed into us with enough force to cause rubble from the ground to fly backwards; Hiei and I hadn't moved an inch. We jumped into the air and flipped over them, Hiei shooting out faster than me to take on the rattlesnake. Leaving the anaconda for me.

She whipped forward and I sidestepped her, punching her in the side of the face. She didn't move, but instead brought up her tail and wrapped it around my waist. It felt as disgusting as it looked. She shot her head forward to bite me but I shot my hand out, my Sun Whip coming out. I shot it inside of her mouth, and the other side wrapped around her head. I kicked her side and her grip loosened, and I slid out of her grasp and grabbed the other side of the whip. I got behind her and yanked on the whip really hard. She fell backwards and hissed out, getting up really quick.

She shot forward again and I ducked, though now I realize that was the intention. She was heading for Hiei who had his katana out and was pushing back the rattlesnake by his teeth. I shot after her, using my wings to give me an added speed, and right before she crashed into Hiei I grabbed her by the tail and slung her backwards.

"Ayumi, now!" Hiei yelled. I held my hand out, a ball of light forming in my palm and I shot it at the rattlesnake's face. It backed off, hissing, and moving to join his teammate. My wings lifted me off of the ground and I grabbed Hiei's hand, and I shot upwards towards the top of the dome. Once we reached the top I took in a deep breath. Hiei's voice was firm. "You can do this." I nodded.

"I know. Let's go." I said, turning to dive back down towards the ground. I let the warmth flow through me, until it was completely surrounding Hiei and I. We were both glowing now, and like usual, it was dead silent. He couldn't hear my thoughts, or anybody else's for that matter. That was the only risk we took in this move, but since our opponents didn't know that, we didn't think it really mattered. Hiei held out his arm.

"Fist of Immortal Flames!" He called out, his fist engulfing in a greenish looking fire. I made my Sun Gun appear in my free hand, and kept it hidden behind my back. We came closer to the ground where the two snakes were grouped together in a defensive stance. Both of their mouths were open and saliva was dropping onto the floor. I hate snakes. "Now!" Hiei called out.

I concentrated and shot the warmth out of both of our bodies, and towards the snakes. The anaconda girl jumped out of the way, but the warmth had enveloped the rattlesnake. He crashed against it, trying to get out of it. But it was wrapped around him like a bubble. Hiei entered with ease and shot his fist out, sending his first of immortal flames into the snakes face, and right behind it, I shot my gun. The bullet entered right between the snakes eyes, and he fell backwards, dead.

Something crashed into me, and I flew away from Hiei. There was a sharp pain in my ankle and I screamed out, my entire leg seeming to be on fire. I couldn't see or hear anything, and there was a lot of noise around me and the sound of clinking metal. I tried to sit up but the pain in my leg was excruciating. The pain was moving up my leg, and making it's way into the right side of my torso. I lay back on the ground, gasping for breath. Hiei was at my side then and he picked me up. I tried to get a good look at his face, but it was blurred.

"Team Urameshi wins!" Juri screamed, making my head pound.

"What happened?" I mumbled.

"She bit you." Hiei carried me off of the ring, saying something to Yusuke that I couldn't hear. Everything started to spin and my breath quickened.

"Hurry!" I heard someone yell. I couldn't see anything anymore, and finally I passed out.

Hiei's POV

It's been three hours. Three damn hours and still no word from the doctors. It wasn't hard to finish the snake girl off, but she bit Ayumi before I could get to her. I shook my head to clear it and I could see my eyes hardening in my reflection. I ran a hand over my face, feeling tired. This had to stop. I let out a quick sigh before walking out of the bathroom and into my room. I threw my cloak on the bed, and my katana. I stood in the middle of my room, looking out of the window. I knew if I jumped out of it and to the right, I'd be at Ayumi's window. I frowned and left the room.

I looked at Yusuke's distressed face, and he looked up at me from where he was sitting on the couch, and shook his head. No news. Nobody said anything and I shoved my hands in my pockets. The room suddenly felt too crowded for me. I felt the Detective's eyes on me as I left, but I didn't look at him or say a word. I already knew what he was thinking.

The elevator was slow, but truthfully I don't remember going down it. The lobby was full of demons, and I don't remember pushing past all of them to get outside. I stood still for a few moments, before taking off into the forest. I didn't stop running until I reached the very top of the cliff that gave the island its name. The water was dark beneath me and the sun was beginning to set behind the horizon. I looked over to where the hospital portion of the building was, staring at it for a few moments before letting my mind wander. I tried Ayumi's head first; nothing. Kurama's was next. He wasn't thinking about anything in particular, his mind occasionally going to Ayumi. Kuwabara's was the same. It was Yusuke's mind that bothered me the most.

He was mad, mostly at me. I probably could have stopped the anaconda wench from biting her if I was really paying attention. But I thought Ayumi could handle it. He had a right to be mad at me. I stayed out on the cliff until the moon was high in the sky, and when I hit the ground the last person I really wanted to deal with greeted me.

"Any news on the girl?" I was asked with mock sincerity. I stared at him, briefly wondering why I thought it was a good idea to leave my katana in my room. Not that I couldn't kill this worthless piece of trash without it. My hand twitched. "Now, now, Hiei. I'm not here to fight with you." He claimed, placing his hands inside of his pockets.

"If you want information you're not getting any, Demeter." His lips thinned out and he looked away from me for a moment.

"I was just simply asking ho-" I cut him off.

"Save it. You don't care about her." I said, glaring at him. He gave me a look, one that made my hand twitch again.

"You don't either, so what's your point?" He asked. I could feel a headache throbbing at the back of my head.

"I should kill you now." I stated. I touched the bandages on my arm, and watched as Demeter took a slight step backwards.

"I'm not here to fight." He said again.

"Then I guess it's too bad you found one." I almost started to unwrap my arm, but Demeter held his hand up.

"Just so you know, the poison in Ayumi's body isn't fatal. Especially when it's Sun Maiden. There's really only one poison that would kill her." He said, reaching into his pocket and holding out a vial. It had a clear liquid inside, but it was thick. "I could slip into her hospital room…" He said, trailing off.

"Threatening her isn't a way to get into my good graces." I said, a hard glare on my face. Demeter laughed.

"This isn't the only vial. If you kill me, she'll be dead before the sun rises in the sky. Though I really wish it wouldn't." He placed the vial back in his pocket. He sighed and turned, beginning to walk away.

"Just know that her time is limited. And the longer you try to help her, the shorter time span you have as well. You are Hiei of the Makai, and as a former thief and forbidden child of the Koorimes, you won't risk your own life to save another." He said. "Remember that." His figure disappeared completely.

It took me a few minutes to realize I was so pissed off I was shaking. I stood absolutely still until I was sure I wasn't going to blow something up. Once I had calmed down, I ran back to the hotel. I didn't bother with the lobby or the hotel room, but instead ran up the side of the building and into my bedroom. I was shaking again. I grabbed my katana and strapped it to my hip and took in a deep breath.

'_Ayumi.'_ I thought to her, my voice hard. There was no answer. "Dammit!" I yelled, spinning on my heel and punching the mirror over the dresser. It shattered around my hand, and I pulled it back, ignoring the cuts on my knuckles and the blood, glass still embedded into my hand. I took in a few deep breaths and left my room, anger still clearly visible on my face. They were all still out there. I glared at Yusuke, who was glaring back at me.

"She woke up for a few minutes, before passing out again. They've pumped the poison out of her body, but there's no change in her physically." He whispered. My glare hardened.

"I don't care." I spat out, turning walking into the kitchen. Yusuke was on my heels.

"No, of course you don't. That's why you let her get bitten in the first place!" He yelled. I spun around and grabbed the collar of Yusuke's shirt, pulling him closer to me.

"Listen, Detective, she got into this fight knowing full well what could have happened. I fought, and she fought. Just because she messed up don't blame it on me because you're pissed off." I yelled, before slinging him away. His back hit the wall and he looked at me with a shocked expression on his face, before he got mad.

I turned to walk away but he grabbed my shoulder and spun me around, punching me in the side of my face. I stumbled before catching myself and turned, ready to completely go off on him, only to be greeted by Kurama's face.

"Both of you stop it!" He yelled. One hand out towards me and the other towards Yusuke. We were still glaring heatedly at each other. "Ayumi's not going to get better with you two arguing, and she's not going to be happy when she wakes up and knows you've been fighting. Now stop!" He yelled, his eyes hard as well. They were flickering between their usual green and Yoko's gold color. I let out a short breath and smacked Kurama's hand out of my way, before walking around both of them and slamming back into my bedroom.

I was suddenly very tired, and I looked at the broken mirror on the wall and then at my hand, before pulling out the glass pieces that were stuck in there. I threw them on the ground and took my shirt off, tossing it aside.

I fell on the bed, asleep before my head hit the pillow.


	47. Release Me

Tremble For My Beloved

:: Chapter Forty-Seven; Release Me ::

Hiei's POV

My head was pounding when I woke up, and for a few minutes I had to think of where I was. Slowly information started coming to me. Hanging Neck Island. Hotel room. Dark Tournament. Thursday. I closed my eyes for a moment, letting the jumbled information come back to me and start to make sense. It was Thursday, and we were on Hanging Neck Island fighting in the Dark Tournament. I'm lying in my room at the Hotel, and Ayumi's in the hospital. My eyes snapped open.

Ayumi.

"Fuck." I sat up quickly, ignoring the throbbing of my head and my pounding heart and attached my katana to my hip. I exited the hotel room out of my window, ignoring the pain of the sun's morning rays that poured into my eyes when I opened the curtains, and jumped down to the ground. I think I took off before my feet really even hit the ground. I was at the hospital in what felt like a minute, I wasn't sure, and calmed my breathing down before entering Ayumi's room.

The monitor was beeping, keeping the nurses aware of her heartbeat, which sounded regular. She looked like she was sleeping. The nurse looked at me for a moment and then turned back to look at Ayumi.

"You can't say long, sir." She said. I didn't say anything, but moved closer to get a better look at her.

"Any updates?" I asked.

"She's showed that she's recovered remarkably well, she should wake up pretty soon." The nurse said. I didn't respond. I frowned and backed up, turning to leave before stopping at the doorway. I turned back to give her one last look and shook my head. I didn't want to be here when she woke up. I left without a second glance.

Ayumi's POV

Everything was jumbled. I was in a lot of pain, that much I knew. I felt like a large truck had hit me, over and over again. I knew I was fading in and out of the darkness, but when I tried to open my eyes there was a searing pain so I squeezed them shut and let the darkness take over again. The next time I woke, I was aware of a beeping noise that was rather loud. I was also aware that Yusuke was talking to somebody.

I opened my mouth slightly, and tried to call to him. But I couldn't speak. Just opening up my mouth left me completely drained. I felt something brush up against my hair and I flinched against the pain, and then it was gone. I slipped back into darkness again.

I realized once I regained consciousness for a third time, or maybe it was the forth time, that I should probably try a little harder at getting up. We were participating in the Dark Tournament, and I was not about to let Rosetta or Zee take my place on the team. But man, I felt like crap.

"Ayumi?" Somebody asked. It was a female voice. I cracked my eyes open just a little, only to be greeted by a bright light. I squeezed them shut again and flinched at the pain and moaned a bit. She chuckled.

"You're still photosensitive, totally normal. It'll pass. Can you squeeze my fingers?" She asked me, taking ahold of my hand. I concentrated for a moment, before squeezing her fingers. "Good, good. I want you to open your eyes again, I put the flashlight away." She said in a light voice. I frowned a bit and concentrated again, before cracking my eyes open again. I couldn't open them very much because the sun was still making it too bright in the room, but I could at least see now.

The nurse was a neko, with a cute pale face, purple eyes, and blonde hair. Her ears and tail were completely black. "Well, hello there girlie! I'm glad you've finally woken up, and hopefully this'll be the last time." She giggled. I smirked at her a little and took in a deep breath.

"Can I have some water?" I asked, my voice sounding really rough. I cleared it, and winced at the pain. The nurse nodded at me.

"Sure thing sweetie." She said, moving out of my line of vision for a moment. She came back with a cup in her hand and a bendy straw, and helped me drink. At first the cold water burned going down my throat, but after a few sips it started to feel good. "My name is Naomi, by the way." She said, placing the cup somewhere next to me. I nodded. "Do you remember what happened?" She asked. I cleared my throat again.

"Yeah. That stupid snake bitch bit me." I mumbled. She nodded.

"Unfortunately, yes. Ironically enough, you shouldn't have been poisoned." She said. I gave her a quizzical look. "She was an anaconda, correct?" She asked. I nodded. "They aren't actually poisonous. They're constrictors. But, I guess since she's a demon and not a normal snake, I guess it doesn't really matter." She said with a giggle in her voice.

"Just my luck." I mumbled. She smiled at me. I liked her.

"That Urameshi boy should be here pretty soon." She said, standing up straighter and reaching up behind me to fluff my pillow a little. "He's been worried sick." She said.

"Has anybody else been here?"

"All of your teammates, actually. Which is amazing considering you've only been out for a day and a half." She answered.

"Hiei too?" I asked, and then wondered why it mattered if Hiei was here. She frowned a little.

"Hiei is the one in black and the attitude, right?" She asked. I smiled a little and nodded. That was definitely Hiei all right.

"He was here once, just for a minute. He looked a little thoughtful and sad, and then he left. Didn't say a word except to ask on an update." She shrugged, turning away from me and sitting down on a computer looking chair, typing away on a laptop that was sitting on a glass desk. I frowned and looked up at the ceiling, being able to open my eyes a little wider now. It was quiet for a while until Yusuke showed up.

"Ayumi." He said, walking into the room. He was alone. I smiled up at him.

"Hey you." I said. He sat down on the edge of the bed and bit his bottom lip for a minute, and grabbed my hand. I squeezed his fingers and his eyes seem to light up.

"You're feeling better." He said, as a statement. I nodded.

"I guess. I was unconscious for the parts where I wasn't feeling good." I joked. He shrugged.

"Tends to happen." He said. I smiled.

"Did I miss anything?" I asked. He shook his head and looked out of the window.

"No. We didn't have to fight yesterday, and we don't have to fight tomorrow. But, I think you should sit out for the next one." He said, his voice quiet. My eyes hardened and I glared at him.

"I guess it's a good thing I don't care what you think." I said then. He turned to look at me then, a glare of his own on his face.

"Christ, Ayumi. Seriously? It's one fight. And then it's off to the semi-finals. You can't just sit it out? I'm not asking you to sit out throughout the whole entire tournament, but just take it easy." He said. His reasoning sounded logical, and yet something in my brain was saying he was absolutely crazy.

"Would you sit it out?" I asked. His lips tightened. "That's what I thought." I said, voice hard.

"We aren't talking about me." He said. He opened his mouth to speak but I cut him off.

"No, we aren't. We're talking about me. And I'm fighting. Get over it." I said quickly. He glared at me for a few minutes, and I glared back. Finally his eyes softened and he leaned over and kissed my forehead.

"Fine. Hiei and I almost got into a fight." He said then, looking out of the window. I narrowed my eyes.

"Why?" I asked.

"I kinda blamed him for your injury." He said. I was silent for a few minutes, before reaching my hand up and smacking him really hard on the back of the head. His eyes widened and his hand automatically reached behind his head to rub at the sore spot, and he glared at me.

"What the hell was that for!" He asked. I breathed in and out for a moment, regaining my strength; that took a lot of energy out of me.

"You know exactly what it was for. Why'd you do that?" I asked. He gave me a sheepish look before frowning and he looked at the window again. After a few minutes he finally just shrugged.

"I was just mad, and worried. I didn't mean it." He said.

"Does he know that?" I asked, my eyes still narrowed. He tapped his temple.

"He should." He said. I nodded, realizing that was true. I closed my eyes, feeling rather tired. "Would you like me to leave, so you can sleep?" He asked. I shook my head and looked at the nurse.

"Naomi, when can I leave?" I asked. She looked over at me and gave me a thoughtful look.

"I'm going to check and make sure if you stand up you're not gonna pass out, and then I guess you could go back to the hotel. Provided you take it easy for the rest of the day and you let your friends take care of you." She said. I nodded.

"Okay, thanks." I said. She nodded and picked up a chart, beginning to go down some sort of checklist.

"So, how come you're here alone?" I asked, my eyes looking down at my hands. I was trying to sound normal when I asked, hoping not to sound too desperate. Yusuke didn't know about Hiei and I, but for some reason, I really wanted to see him. But I didn't want Yusuke to know, not yet. So I kept quiet.

"Yes. I told everyone it'd be better not to bombard you until you were released. They're all waiting for you at the hotel." He said. I nodded and Yusuke frowned. "Well, except for Hiei." He said. I snorted and looked up at him. He gave me a cheeky grin. "You know how Hiei is. Doesn't care about anyone but himself." He said.

"That's not always true, and you know that." I said softly. He shrugged.

"He cares when one of us is in life or death trouble, sure. But with anything else, he doesn't care. Hell, he said he didn't even care that you got hurt." He said, crossing his arms. I stared at him for a moment, before frowning and letting my eyes hit my hands again. He really said he didn't care? I shook the thought out of my head, deciding now was not the time to be worrying about Hiei. I looked out the window.

And yet, it was becoming increasingly difficult to not think about him.


	48. Teenage Dream

**Authors Note: **hey guys. sorry it's been so long. i can only blame my writer's block, and and it, unfortunately, isn't relenting. I hope it is soon though. anyways, i hope you enjoy this. thank you so much for those of you who have stuck with me and has reviewed. you guys mean everything to me. 3 i'll update again as soon as i can, i promise. enjoy.

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**Tremble For My BelovedChapter **

Forty-Eight; Teenage Dream

I got back to the hotel room and it was like Yusuke said, everybody was waiting for me. Kuwabara got to me first, picking me up and squeezing me tight. That hurt, really bad. I think Yusuke saw the pain on my face and he whacked Kuwabara on the back of the head, causing him to yell out and put me down, whirling around to face Yusuke.

"Hey! What the hell was that for!" He asked, glaring at Yusuke. Yusuke glared back.

"She just got out of the hospital and you're squeezing the life out of her. You're gonna send her right back in. Moron." He said through clenched teeth. Kuwabara gave him a sheepish look and then smiled at me. I smiled back.

"Sorry Ayumi." He said. I shrugged. Kurama placed a hand on my shoulder and ruffled my hair a little bit.

"Glad you're back." He said. I gave him a hug.

"Thanks." I said. Rosetta stood up next, with Zee right behind her, and gave me a light punch on the shoulder while he grinned at me.

"Way to go, Pup." She said. I shrugged.

"Yeah, well, I try." I said. Zee laughed at me and ruffled my hair a little as well. I was really tired. I went into the kitchen and grabbed something to drink, downing it and throwing the can away, and turned to face everyone. "What time is our fight tomorrow?" I asked.

"Not until late in the afternoon. Around five." Zee said. I nodded.

"Got it. I'm going to go sleep." I said. I turned and went into my bedroom, not thinking about anything, and took a quick shower. Once I was clean and didn't smell sickly anymore, I put on black cotton shorts and a yellow tank top, falling into a black sleep. I woke up with a start and caught my breath, looking around my room for a moment and realized where I was. I sighed and leaned back against my pillow and sighed, squeezing my eyes shut. The sun was still out and I looked at the window and noticed it was dark outside, and the clock read 1:30 AM. I had literally slept all day. I gave out a huff and got up, deciding to take another shower. Once I was clean I dried my hair and French braided it, and pulled on blue jean shorts and a light blue tank top. I was still feeling groggy but I knew that another nap would be really over doing it, so I left my room.

Nobody was out in the living room, which I was thankful for, and I left the hotel room quietly. There wasn't really anybody out in the hotel lobby either as I made my way outside into the night, and I took in a deep breath of fresh air. I didn't walk too far and sat on the edge of the island that looked out over the ocean. It was quiet for a few minutes and I crossed my arms, letting my eyes look out over the horizon.

"You know, for being over 200 years old, sometimes you act like a real baby." I said. Hiei walked up next to me and crossed his arms, giving me a look and sitting down next to me.

"If you want to discuss who's more of a baby…" He said, trailing off. I glared at him.

"It's not a discussion. The answer is you." I said, my voice firm. This time he glared at me. "I don't understand you." I said softly. He didn't say anything and just looked out over the ocean. "When we're alone, you act like a completely different person. Don't get me wrong, you're still a dick, but then again you're not. When we're not alone it's like I don't even exist to you, and that I'm just the same baka ningen I was to you when we first met. Or when I'm sick you tell people that you don't even care, or come to see me." I said. He cut me off.

"I did come to see you." He said in his defense. I shoved him a little.

"Coming in for two seconds to make sure I'm not dead doesn't count." I said. He flinched a little but didn't say anything. "Look, I'm not asking you to change who you are or to be somebody that you're not. But you know it's okay to give a damn about somebody who's close to you. Especially when you're around other people who are close to you. And yes, I know, you really hate them all. But at the same time you know care." I said, referring to his normal lecture on how the boys weren't his friends he was only there because he's forced to be. I really thought it was crap, and since he didn't object, I think he did too.

"It's not that easy." He finally said. I wanted to laugh.

"What part of your life has ever been easy?" I asked him. He froze for just a second and then looked dead at me.

"I thought at least some parts of your life were supposed to be." He said quietly. And then I got it. I got it with a big kick in the gut. I frowned at him.

"Hiei, does that part of your life really impact you anymore?" I asked. He glared at me. This was really hard, and not because Hiei didn't like talking about his past with me, but because Hiei was all about facial expressions and actions rather than emotion or talking. Talking about anything with Hiei was difficult because he liked to give you two sentences on the subject, and then maybe a sentence or two hours later after you've already begun to think the conversation was over. And of course you can't object to his way of talking because then he feels cornered and feels the need to lash out. This man was complicated.

"It's not like I can just let it go." He finally said. I shrugged.

"Maybe you can. It's really up to you." I said. He frowned and then we were silent for a few minutes.

"I'm glad you're not hurt." He said finally. Which mean the more hard point of the conversation was over, at least for now. I was getting another headache. I huffed out a laugh and looked at him, smiling a little.

"Well gee, thanks. It wasn't your fault you know." He said. He snorted and looked away from me.

"I could have stopped that snake from biting you." He said. I shrugged.

"Maybe. Who knows? Who cares? It's over." I said. He gave me an incredulous look.

"You better not say that after you beat Demeter, because if you do is swear I'll kill you myself." He said. I laughed.

"Demeter's a different story. Who the hell names their son Demeter, by the way? Isn't that the name of a goddess?" I asked. Hiei looked at me for a moment before smirking and chuckling, shrugging his shoulders.

"Maybe it was wishful thinking on his mothers part." He said, trying to hold back a laugh. I grinned.

"You know, it's not nice to talk about other peoples moms. That'll get you beat up." I said, lying down on my back and gazing up at the sky. An eyeful of Hiei suddenly clouded my vision and I smiled. He leaned over me, putting his eight on his arm and let his other hand rest on my hips.

"I'd like to see somebody try to beat me up." He said.

"I can do it." I said. He gave me a look.

"Can not." He said. I glared at him.

"Can too!" I yelled.

"Not."

"Can."

"Not."

"Ugh. Shut up Hiei." He smiled. I placed my arms around his neck, letting one hand trail up into his hair and gave him a playful yank, and then reached up and kissed him. I went into sensory overload then, with a mouthful of his taste and my nose filling up with burning wood and ashes, and I think I forgot to breathe. He pulled back a few minutes later and gave me a look.

"If you pass out on me I'll smack you." He said.

"If I pass out on you it will be entirely your fault." I said with a grin. He gave a sound of disgust.

"Ugh. The things I put up with." He said. I smacked his arm and laughed. He smiled down at me again and then froze, the smile wiped from his face as he slightly bit his lower lip. His eyes flickered up above my head and back towards the hotel. I frowned.

"What's wrong?" I asked. He sighed and rolled off of me, leaning back on his feet.

"Somebody's about to get really, really pissed off at you." He said. I stared at him for a few minutes and then my eyes widened and I shot up off of the ground, turning to look back towards the hotel. And standing there with his arms crossed and a blank expression was Yusuke. My heart was hammering inside my chest and the only thing I could manage to do at that moment was gawk at him. And really, what could I say to him? This isn't what it looked like? No, that wouldn't work. Because it was exactly what it looked like. I cleared my throat and gave him a halfhearted smile.

"Uh, hey Yusuke. What's up?" I asked. Hiei shook his head at me and sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"I went to check up on you, only to find your room empty. I figured you must have come outside to get fresh air…apparently I was wrong." He said, his voice full of venom.

"Well, technically you weren't wrong. I was getting some fresh air." I said. He glared at me.

"When were you going to tell me? Because I know this wasn't just a spur of the moment thing." He asked, his eyes narrowing. I looked down and folded my hands in my lap.

"It wasn't really my secret to tell." I said, glancing towards Hiei who was staring out over the ocean, but then blinked and turned to look at me. He gave me a really tiny smile. Yusuke scoffed.

"That's a bunch of crap. You used to tell me everything. What else have you been hiding from me? And to think it's with Hiei, too! What the hell? It's Hiei!" He yelled. I looked at him and glared.

"I would have told you but I'm not kidding when I said it wasn't my secret to tell. It's none of your business, and yes, it's Hiei. What's your damn point?" I asked, my voice tight. Hiei sighed and stood up, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Yusuke." He said. Yusuke shook his head.

"No. You shut up. I can't believe you. Both of you. Just, forget it." He said, turning to leave. I frowned. I really didn't want Yusuke to be mad at me. Hiei looked at me, and then at Yusuke, and then back at me, and finally gave an aggravated sigh. Next thing I now, he disappeared and was standing in front of Yusuke. He glared at him. "Get out of my way." Yusuke said. Before Hiei could say anything, Yusuke shot his hand out and formed it in the shape of a gun and pointed it at Hiei's face. "I'm not kidding Hiei. I don't want to hear it. You know I can beat you." He said heatedly. Hiei glared.

"Look, as much as I've love to participate in your drama session, I have better things to do. Ayumi didn't tell you because I told her not to tell anybody." He said. Yusuke glared at him.

"Who the hell are you to tell her what she can and can't tell me? Because I'm not just anybody, Hiei." He said.

"No, you're not just anybody. You're her best friend. But that's exactly it; you're HER best friend. Not mine. I don't have to tell you anything. She respected me enough to not say anything, so if you're going to be pissed off be pissed off at me." He said. Yusuke gave him a look of disbelief.

"What the hell are you doing Hiei? Being the martyr? Suddenly wanting to be in a relationship with somebody? Somebody that just happens to be Ayumi? That's not you, at all. So you'll excuse me if I think you're just playing games, and because I know I can't stop her. It has nothing to do with her not telling me, though I'm pissed off about that too. This is just the most stupidest thing I've ever seen in my life." Yusuke said, pushing Hiei out of the way and continuing back towards the hotel. Hiei stared at him with a blank face and I frowned.

"That's not fair, Yusuke." I said. My voice was quiet, and at first I didn't think he heard me, but he stopped and turned to face me.

"You haven't known him as long as I have." He said then, his voice quiet too, though it sounded loud in my wolf ears.

"You don't know him like I do." I said back with a shrug. "It's not about who knows him the longest or how knows him better. Last time I checked I was the one being intimate with Hiei, not you. So the next time you butt into my relationship or lack there of or try to tell me that I'm being stupid, I'll do it right back." I said. He narrowed his eyes at me.

"What the hell does that mean?" He asked.

"You know exactly what it means. Don't back me into a corner Yusuke, you won't like the end result." I said. He stared at me for a minute and then shook his head.

"Whatever." He muttered, turning and finally going back inside the hotel. I stared at the spot where he was for a moment and then let out a breath of air, turning around and sitting back down. Hiei came up behind me and knelt down, wrapping his arms over my shoulder and pulling me into him. I let my head rest on his shoulder and I reached a hand up to play with his fingers and sighed.

"That could have gone better." I said. Hiei snorted.

"No, it really couldn't have." He said. I shrugged.

"He'll get over it." I said. Hiei was quiet for a few minutes.

"He has every right not to trust me." He finally said. I turned my head and looked up at him, but he was looking back out over the horizon. I kissed his exposed neck and then let my forehead rest against it.

"He doesn't have to trust you. He has to trust me. It'll be fine." I said. He finally looked at me for a few minutes before shrugging.

"Hn." He said. I grinned and reached up to kiss him again. I was tired, and he noticed. He pulled away from me and took a look at my face.

"Let's go." He said, standing up and pulling me with him. The walk back to the hotel was fuzzy, and the last thing I really remember was him climbing into my bed and taking his shirt off, and then pulling me in next to him, and me falling asleep with his head on his chest.

I was never getting bit by a snake again, ever.


	49. Speechless

Tremble For My Beloved Chapter Forty-Nine; Speechless

Okay, so when I said that I wanted to fight in the next round, I was kind of lying. Well, really it wasn't because I didn't want to, but because I just flat out couldn't. Of course, I would never admit any of this to anybody. Being bitten by a damn snake was the worst thing that's ever happened to me by far, and the next time I saw a snake I was shooting it, that was for damn sure. I rubbed my temples after dressing in black boots, light blue skinny jeans, and a red and white polka dotted tank top. I decided to leave my hair down today, and I grumbled again, knowing that Zee and Rosetta were going to be taking over for Hiei and I. But at the same time, that also meant Hiei and I was going to have some alone time.

Yusuke still hadn't told anybody about what he saw, and I was thankful for that. But he was still giving me a sour attitude, and he wasn't talking to Hiei at all. He could be such a baby sometimes, honestly. I understood why he was upset, hell; I would've been upset too. But he went about it the wrong way. Yusuke seriously has good intentions, he always has, but sometimes he just let's his anger overtake his better judgment. But I knew he'd come around soon, at least for me anyways. It was a damn near challenge to stay mad at me. But I felt bad for Hiei. Hiei and Yusuke had an odd relationship. They were both misunderstood, both incredibly powerful, both lonely in life, and both chosen for something special. And so they understood each other, and they respected each other. In fact, I'd even go as far as to say that besides Kurama, Hiei trusted Yusuke the most, and was closest with him. And I felt bad about that, and I frowned, realizing I needed to fix that.

"You don't have to fix anything, Onna. The Detective and I will be fine." Hiei said, coming up behind me. I turned to look at him and frowned a little, crossing my arms.

"Hey, short stuff, have you ever heard of knocking?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. Hiei gave me an incredulous look and walked up to me, and I took notice that I did have to slightly look up at him.

"Did you just call me short?" He asked, emphasizing the fact that he had to look down to look at me. I glared at him.

"I try to teach you a lesson about knocking, and all you take from the question is that I called you short…you don't learn very well, do you?" I asked. Hiei snorted and turned around.

"Hn." He muttered. I stared at him for a minute before smiling softly at him. If anybody were to tell me that Hiei was cold-blooded, ruthless, and just downright mean, I would laugh in their face. They seriously didn't know Hiei that well. He sighed. "You're wrong. Your perception of me is entirely wrong. It seems it's you who doesn't learn so well." He said quietly.

"Well, I do know that I don't tie you down and force you to spend time with me. I don't force you to smile, even if sometimes it's only a half smile or a twitch. I don't make you kiss me, and I don't make you stay with me rather than going off and killing some people." I said with a shrug. Hiei turned and looked at me, narrowing his eyes a little bit.

"But you are…different." He said. I smiled at him and nodded.

"That's exactly what I meant." I whispered, walking up to him and placing my hand on his face. He stared at me for a moment before growling and looking away, a very small blush tinting his cheeks. I grinned at him. "I love when you do that." I muttered, leaning up and kissing his cheek.

"Shut it, Onna." He said harshly. He was such a sweetheart, really. I rolled my eyes and released him, starting to turn around, only to have him grab my wrist and pull me back to him. I hit his chest and yelped a little, playfully glaring at him.

"What are you-" I started, but was cut off.

"I said, shut it." He growled out, before pulling me up for a kiss. One of his hands was still grabbing my wrist and was holding it at his chest; his other arm went around my waist, while I gripped his shoulder with my free hand. His tongue traced my bottom lip and my knees suddenly felt weak. Ugh, if only he knew just how damn _good_ he tasted, and then a thought hit me. With a lot of effort, I managed to pull myself out of the haze and jumbled thoughts, and pulled back to glare at him.

"You are an asshole." I muttered, pulling away from him completely. He gazed at me for a moment before smirking and crossing his arms. "If I can't fight today, you can't either. Jerk." I hissed out, crossing my arms as well.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He said with indifference, walking towards my window. I wanted to throw a brick at his big fat stupid head.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about, twerp!" I yelled after him. He gave out a growl and hopped onto the ledge, preparing to leave. "Look, you agreed." I said, referring to last night. Hiei, being the softie that he really is, asked me not to fight today, in his own subtle and very rude way.

_- - Last night_

"_You're really going to fight tomorrow?" He asked me, making random patterns on my arm. We were lying in my bed at the hotel, and I was quiet for a minute._

"_Yeah, why wouldn't why?" I asked him quietly. He was silent for a moment._

"_Because you'll get your ass handed to you and you know it, and you're just putting up this tough guy front for the sake of your pride. It's very pathetic and very human of you." He said indifferently. I narrowed my eyes and looked up at him. _

"_Wanna run that by me again?" I asked in a flat voice. Hiei smirked a little._

"_You know I'm telling the truth. You're worried about it too. You aren't at your full strength, and it is getting closer to the finals. How humiliating would it be to be beaten this far because you hadn't heed the doctor's warnings of taking it easy until the semi-finals?" He asked in a mocking voice. I stared at him for a moment before grinning and giving him a starry eyed look. He glared at me. "Why are you looking at me like that, Onna?" He asked._

"_Aww, Hiei! You're worried about me. You don't want me to get hurt." I said, truly touched. He gave me a look before scoffing and looking away._

"_Don't twist my words." He said in defense, but I shook my head._

"_You're such a big softie." He said. He glared at me and growled, before letting me go and turning over and crossing his arms, his back now facing me. I giggled a little and snuggled up against his back._

"_Tell you what, I won't fight tomorrow, if you won't." I said, knowing he wouldn't give up a chance to fight. He was quiet for a minute._

"_Fine. I won't fight." He said. My jaw dropped a little and I looked at his back. His very well toned back that was seriously distracting to my mental thought process right now. I blinked a few times to clear my head._

"_What do you mean you won't fight?" I asked, sitting up and looking at him. He turned his head and smirked at me._

"_I don't feel like it. It's a waste of my time anyways. They're not anywhere near as strong as I am, so what's the point? Besides, I couldn't pass up the chance to torture you since you'd so willingly let me." He said. I glared at him. He was evil. Oh so evil. I was going to wind up punching him straight in the face one of these days. I scowled and laid back down with a huff, and suddenly Hiei turned over and rolled on top of me. "Aww, don't be mad at me. I'm just being a big softie." He said in a mocking tone, pretending to make kissy faces at me._

"_You disgust me." I said in a low voice, causing Hiei to actually laugh out loud for a moment. "And you're absolutely evil, and I think I might just hate you a little." I said, glaring at the ceiling. He bit his lip for a moment, trying not to laugh at my state of distress and leaned over me. "And you're seriously going to cause me to wound my pride and ego while I tell them that I can't fight, and I can't tell them why either. Ugh, you're such a jerk!" I said to him. He gave me a mischievous look that made me want to do some R rated things to him and leaned over me, smirking a little._

"_Maybe you can show me these R rated thoughts of yours tomorrow." He said in a low voice that made my heart flutter. I playfully glared at him._

"_And what makes you think I'd be willing to do that? You've made an enemy out of me tonight." I said, eyeing him a little. He didn't seem phased at all, which was really, really annoying. "I mean it, and don't you try anything either, mister." I said._

"_Mmhmm." He said, leaning down to trace my neck with his tongue, which felt scorching hot against my skin. I bit my lips and cleared my throat a little._

"_Cheater." I hissed. He chuckled at me and kissed the soft spot behind my ear, and luckily I was able to catch the moan that was about to leave my mouth. "Evil. You're pure evil." I whispered, wrapping my arms around his neck. He made another noncommittal noise before biting into my shoulder. He suddenly stopped and laid back on his side, pulling me in next to him. I gave a noise of disappointment and he smirked at me. I wanted to slap him._

"_Tomorrow." He said, his voice low. I bit my lip and nodded. Tomorrow sounded good._

- - Present Day

And now the little prick was trying to back out of it, like I knew he would. I glared at him a little. "If you fight today, I fight. That's how it works." I said. He scoffed and looked over at me, and then smirked.

"Fine, have it your way." He said, leaving my room. I gave an aggravated sigh before leaving my room, knowing that Hiei had already told them he wasn't fighting for whatever excuse he came up with. They were all waiting for me, and I crossed my arms and looked at them.

"Alright guys, you win. I'm not fighting today." I said. Yusuke immediately narrowed his eyes at me, but Rosetta and Zee looked happy, if nothing else.

"Yes! I mean, sorry to hear that, Pup." Rosetta said and I laughed at her.

"No, you guys seriously need another chance to show off your skills. Plus, I want to be in top shape when I fight in the semi-finals. These guys shouldn't be too hard to beat anyways, so why bother?" I asked, shrugging my shoulders.

"Well, if that's what you want." Kurama said with a smile. I nodded at him.

"That means it'll be you and the ankle biter today. Will you be able to handle yourself with him?" Kuwabara asked. Okay, so that was a really bad choice of words on his part. Yusuke snorted and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. "What did I say?" Kuwabara asked, frowning a little.

"Nothing. He's just being a baby. Don't worry about it Kuwa. And yeah, I probably won't even see Hiei today. He'll probably be off training somewhere." I said with a shrug. Kuwabara nodded and agreed with me, while Kurama laughed a bit.

"Yeah, sounds like Hiei. Well then, get lots of rest then Ayumi!" Kuwabara exclaimed, and I nodded.

"Right, I will. Go kick some ass for me Kitty." I said to Rosetta. She gave me thumbs up and left with the rest of the boys, but lingering for a moment after they left down the hallway. She looked at me for a moment and smirked.

"While you and Hiei are doing the horizontal tango, try not to break anything." She said. My heart dropped and I looked at her with wide eyes.

"What…are you talking about?" I asked her, a little breathless. She laughed at me and then poked at her ears.

"These walls aren't that thick. I have to say, I never would have expected it." She said. My heart was pounding and I looked at her with a nervous face. She laughed at me. "Don't worry Pup, I won't tell anyone." She said sincerely. I let out a breath and then nodded, still a little freaked out. "Your secret is safe with me. Ciao!" She said, shutting the door behind her. I forgot about her damn ears. Hiei walked out of his room then with his arms crossed.

"Well that was interesting." He muttered. I turned to look at him and laughed a little.

"Yeah, it was. Sorry." I offered. He shrugged a little and then went into his room, leaving it open. I bit my bottom lip and watched him take his shirt off, and he looked at me.

"I'm going to shower, Onna. You gonna join me or not?" He asked. My heart pounded in my chest, but I smirked at him and nodded. I walked into his room and took my own shirt off, throwing it on top of his. He stared at me for a minute and then turned, walking into the bathroom. I followed him and smiled when he shut the door, and he leaned over me to start the water. I wasn't going to lie, I was nervous. He chuckled at me. He turned me around and then picked me up, swiftly setting me up on the counter top. I let out a yelp and then laughed at him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He reached up and kissed me while I kicked my boots off. He unbuckled my pants and pulled them down, tossing them to the side once he got them off of my legs completely. I unbuckled his own pants and shoved them past his hips, and he stepped out of them once they hit the floor, pulling me into a kiss again.

He pulled me off the counter and I had to hold onto him or else I would have fallen. His intoxicating smell hit my over sensitive nose and it was making it relatively hard to think straight. Before I had time to process what was going on, I found myself completely naked now, with Hiei staring at me. I blushed a little and crossed my arms, and he smirked, grabbing them and uncrossing them.

"I'm pretty sure you have to be naked too for this to work." I huffed. He laughed again and shrugged, before taking his boxers off. He stepped into the shower and pulled me in with him, and for a moment the only thing I could do was stare at him. Kami, he was beautiful. I traced a deep scar that ran over the left side of his chest and smiled at him.

"Looks like the cat was wrong." He muttered darkly. I gave him a questioning look. "It seems we won't be so horizontal after all." He said, causing me to blush. The hot water poured down over us and the room started to steam up, but Hiei's skin was like fire under my fingertips. He hitched one of my legs around his waist and I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, holding myself to him. He kissed me deeply then, his tongue playing with mine for a while before he pulled back.

"Stop thinking so much." He said, and for once, I didn't argue.


	50. Just Lose It

Tremble For My Beloved Chapter Fifty; Just Lose It

It was a few hours later when I woke up, my head feeling a little fuzzy. I was still in sensory overload with Hiei's scent covering me from head to toe, and it took me a moment to realize that I was now lying on Hiei's bed, and I felt warmth on me that I could only assume was Hiei. I cracked my eyes open and indeed Hiei was lying on his stomach, half on top of me and half on the mattress, and he was still very naked. I openly stared at him, not being able to look away, and I could hear him scoff even though his eyes were closed. I made a contented noise at the back of my throat and mumbled a bit.

"What?" He asked me, cracking an eye open. I laughed a little.

"As comfortable as this is, I'd like to turn over." I repeated. He gave a grunt and moved off of me just enough for me to turn from my stomach and onto my back, before he fell back on top of me. "How much time until they come back?" I asked quietly, feeling very comfortable and content right about now. Hiei lifted his head up to look out of the window before lying back down on my shoulder.

"About an hour and a half." He answered. I thought about it for a moment before sighing.

"I have to take a shower." I said. Hiei was quiet for a minute before smirking at me.

"We already took two." He said. I blushed a little and smacked his arm.

"Yeah, and both times we came out dirtier than when we went in. And I'm pretty sure that's not how a shower is supposed to work." I said. Hiei shrugged his shoulders.

"I think I like my way better." He said before tracing his tongue along the bite mark he made on my shoulder not an hour ago. I couldn't help but laugh a little as I let my hand trail up into his hair, which I tugged on slightly. "No more of that. I'm surprised I don't have a headache with how much you've already yanked on it." He growled out at me and I shrugged.

"You weren't complaining. And you yanked on mine just as much, so I don't wanna hear it." I said.

"Hn." He muttered. I rolled my eyes and sat up, pushing Hiei up with me. He grunted in discontent and glared at me a little, but I simply smirked at him and leaned in, kissing him for a moment.

"I'm gonna go shower. And you stay here and sleep you lazy bum." I said, getting up. He was silent for a minute before scoffing and lying back down.

"What are we going to tell the cat?" He asked. I stopped and turned to look at him with a confusing look. "I don't know if you can't smell it, but I know she can." He said. I still wasn't following him and I blinked a few times, causing Hiei to roll his eyes at me. "The whole room, the kitchen, and part of the living room smell we…tangoed as she would put it, you baka." He said, sitting up.

"Oh, uhh…crap. I didn't think about that. All I can smell is you right now, so I wasn't thinking about that. I don't know…go spray some air freshener or something." I said with a shrug. Hiei stood up and gave me an odd look.

"Spray what?" He asked. I laughed at him and little before shrugging.

"Don't worry about it. Rosetta already knows what we were going to be doing today. She shouldn't be surprised." I muttered, leaving Hiei to figure out what the hell air freshener was as I stepped into the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror and grinned at all the markings Hiei left on me. He had some serious biting issues, but hey, I wasn't complaining. I stretched a little and winced, feeling sore, but in all the right places. I let out a sigh and turned on the water, getting in and taking a nice long shower.

When I stepped out I wrapped a towel around me and opened the door, only to come face to face with Hiei. I looked at him for a moment and smiled, before wrapping an arm around his shoulders and bringing him close. He seemed confused for a moment, but relaxed when I pressed my lips against it. It was a very slow and sensual kiss, and almost lazy, but it lasted for a while. I finally pulled away and for a moment I couldn't stop staring at his eyes. I bit my bottom lip and then smiled again, letting him go and walking past him. I could feel his eyes on me as I picked up my clothes and sighed when I heard him shut his bathroom door behind him. I went into my own room and finished drying off, changing into a pair of black cotton shorts and a purple tank top.

It wasn't long after that when I heard the door open and the sound of Rosetta and Zee, cheering on about how they kicked some total ass. I grinned a little and shook my head at their rowdy behavior, and then it got real quiet, and then Rosetta started laughing. I was curious, so I left my room to see just what was so funny. I stood out in the living room and smiled at them; reaching up to French braid my hair. Rosetta was looking straight at me with a glint in her eye, and I raised an eyebrow. Before I could say anything, she reached up and touched her nose. I could feel an extremely deep blushing spreading from my head to my toes and I glared heatedly at Rosetta, while she snickered at me. Kuwabara looked confused.

"Hey, what did I miss?" He asked, but Rosetta shook her head.

"I hate you." I muttered, turning to go back in my room while Rosetta laughed once again. She was never going to let me live this down, not that it mattered because I was certainly enjoying myself, but still. The rest of the night was pretty quiet, and there was no sign of Hiei, as I expected. I think I might have overloaded him with the entire mushy ness of the day, which was fine. He gave me more than what I was asking for, so now it was time for me to give back and let him have his space. It kind of sucked when I figured out that's how we were going to work, but if it was the only way, then so be it. I remember him asking me not to ask too much of him, and I told him I wouldn't, and I would keep to my word. I wouldn't ask for more than he could give, but it still sucked.

That night, for the first time in a long time, I slept alone. When I woke up I was almost startled because Hiei wasn't next to me, and I frowned a little. Okay, so I'm usually not this pathetic, but I was kind of missing him. I sighed and got out of bed, taking a quick shower and brushing my teeth. Today was the day of the semi-finals, and I was pretty excited. I was finally over that damn snakebite, and I was going to be fighting today, along with Hiei. I quickly brushed my hair out and pulled it back into a French braid, and put on my black Hakama pants and white tank top. After attaching my Sais to my hips, I left the room. They were all waiting for me in the living room, including Hiei, and I smiled at them.

"Morning." I muttered. It was rather quiet, but I figured it was just nerves. Well, that and Yusuke still wasn't talking to me and everyone, including Kuwabara, was now aware of this. So needless to say, it was a little awkward because nobody knew why. He'd get over it eventually, though this is the longest he's gone without talking to me. I frowned a little, but shrugged it off. I had to fight today, and I wasn't about to let any emotions distract me, no matter who they were for.

We left the room and we took our usual route to the arena, and when we walked in we heard the rush of all the screaming voices in the crowd. I smirked a little and shook my head. These guys never got tired of the blood shed, did they? I placed my hands on my hips and walked out with my team when Juri announced us, and on the other side was a group of very large demons. The shortest one stood at six feet tall, and all of them were pounding on tons of muscles.

"Welcome to the Semi-Finals of the Dark Tournament! Today Team Urameshi will face Team Junga! After these two fight Team Demeter and Team Yuki will fight to see who will reach the finals! Today is sure to be filled with lots of blood and some good fighting everybody! Will both Team Captain's please enter the ring!" She called out. Yusuke stepped forward into the ring, as did one of the brutes, this one standing at ten feet. "Team Captains, please decide on how you will be fighting!" She yelled out. Yusuke crossed his arms and glared up at the large brute, while he glared down at Yusuke.

"We will crush your pathetic little team, Urameshi. One at a time." He called out, his voice low and rough. Yusuke looked bored and stuck his pinky in his ear, pretending to clean fuzz out of them and flick it away.

"Save it. We've heard it before. If you want to fight us one on one it's your call, I could care less." He said, glaring up at the guy. He snorted and took a step forward, getting in Yusuke's face.

"I wouldn't be so confident anymore. We're in the semi-finals, and we have no intentions to losing to some morons like you." He scoffed out. Yusuke stared at him with a blank face before taking in a deep breath, and out of nowhere he pulled his fist back and launched it forward, sending the guy flying out of the ring and into the wall. Yusuke gave the rest of the team a flat face and then pointed a finger at the leader, whose face was still being introduced to the concrete wall.

"Listen up you idiots, I'm not in a good mood, so I don't advise pissing me off today. If I have to I'll take on every single of one of you losers myself. And the next time one of you get in my face I'll take off your fucking head. Got it!" He yelled, and I frowned a little bit. He wasn't in a good mood, although I had to say that this would wind up working to our advantage. A pissed off Yusuke was a damn good asset. He seethed on the ring for a few moments and then turned to glare at Juri, who squeaked and backed away. "It's one on one, ya dig?" He asked. She nodded and he huffed out a breath of air and turned, walking to the edge of the ring. "They can also decide on who they want to fight. I don't care." He told her. She nodded again and he jumped off the stage, crossing his arms and glaring at nothing in particular.

"Yusuke…" I said, walking up next to him. He looked at me with a blank face, and closed his eyes, shaking his head.

"Forget it." He muttered. I bit my lip and looked at him, before linking my arm around his and burying my face in his shoulder. "Ayumi…" He trailed off, a warning tone in his voice, but I shook my head.

"Stop being mad at me. I'm sorry I didn't tell you." I whispered so nobody else would hear. He looked down at me and frowned, slowly pulling his arm away from me.

"We'll talk. After we kick ass." He said, shrugging his shoulders. I smiled a little and nodded, starting to get really upset that we were still fighting. But I pushed it aside, knowing now that we had to fight. The leader of the other team had managed to pick himself up and was now glaring heatedly at Yusuke. There was one brute, standing at almost eleven feet, who jumped up into the ring, and his body was shaking all over.

"I want…the Jagan User." He said, pointing a crooked finger at Hiei. Hiei raised an eyebrow at him and uncrossed his arms. In less than a second he was standing in the center of the ring, his arms crossed again.

"I see you have a death wish." Hiei said, looking calm and totally badass right now.

"Jagan User, we had you in our prison. You escaped and killed four of my brothers." He snarled out. I blinked a few times. Hiei was in a prison? Hiei's face looked unphased, but he seemed to be considering something.

"Only four? Damn. Next time I'll have to do better." He said with a bored look on his face. Ooh, that was pretty cold. The demon looked thoroughly pissed off, and Juri started the match. The demon let out a growl and he stomped his feet, shaking the ring a little bit. Again, Hiei just seemed to be bored. I wondered what he was up to.

"Oh my. The big scary giant is upset. What's a guy like me gonna do?" He asked, sarcasm obviously audible throughout the entire sentence. The brute lunged forward and Hiei jumped up into the air, clearing him by several feet. He stayed in the air for a moment before smirking and jumping forwards, kicking his foot out. He connected with the right side of the guy's neck and sent him stumbling to the right, and Hiei jumped backwards, landing on his feet. He reached up and grabbed his cloak, yanking it off and throwing it to the side. This was normal for him, and yet there was that well toned back again messing up my thought process.

Hiei jumped forward, and at the last minute the brute turned around and dug his nails deep into Hiei's stomach. My eyes widened and I gasped a little, but Hiei stayed still before vanishing into thin are. I smirked then at the brute's confused face.

"What the…what is this sorcery?" He asked, turning around to see Hiei, who was just fine, standing with his arms crossed.

"You just killed my after image. Way to go. It's not sorcery, it's called speed." He said, and then he disappeared again. He was moving so fast that I could barely see him, and I knew that the brute couldn't see him at all. He was so fast! He finally reappeared completely behind the brute and punched him straight in the back, causing him to fall forward slightly. The brute let out an angry growl and bent over, visibly shaking again. There were some loud popping noises, which sounded disgusting, and a spinal cord of horns popped out of his back. His fingernails grew extra long and pointed, and he grew fangs as well. He turned, suddenly much faster than before, and knocked Hiei back.

I was worried, for a split second. But then I remembered that these were the semi-finals, and those brutes had to have been good to get this far. So they weren't to be taken lightly. They were all capable of probably bruising all of us, though I was still ticked at the thought. Hiei jumped back up with a glare and jumped up when the guy lunged at him again.

"Fist of Immortal Flames!" He yelled out, his entire fist being engulfed in flames and he brought it down onto the brute's head. He screamed out in pain and held onto his head, but managed to reach an arm up and grab onto Hiei's leg. He slammed Hiei into the ring and stood over him, reaching his other hand up and bringing it down onto Hiei's torso. Hiei coughed, blood coming out of his mouth and I frowned. And then something changed. Hiei was staring up at the guy, who was still beating on him, but he seemed unaffected by the blows. The guy noticed something too and his eyes widened, and he took a step back.

"What are you?" He asked Hiei, his voice in a raspy whisper. Hiei stood still for a second before slowly standing up, and his eyes blazed completely white. His bandana burned away, revealing his Jagan eye. He was quiet for just a moment longer and suddenly started laughing, sending chills up my spine.

"You said you wanted the Jagan user, did you not?" He asked, his voice echoing itself. The brute was now backing away from him, his eyes still wide.

"I…I forfeit this match. You win!" He yelled, turning to leave the ring, but Hiei was shaking his head.

"I don't think so." He said, his voice distant and cold. He raised his right arm, and I realized now that the bandages were off, and my eyes widened. "But you will die." He said, a smirk on his face. His Jagan eye opened up completely now, and it too blazed white. Suddenly there was a blue colored light surrounding Hiei completely, and he yelled out.

"Dragon of the Darkness Flames!" He called, the light erupting out of him. The dragon forced it's way out of Hiei's body and rushed forward, it's mouth open and ready to consume whatever it met. The brute yelled, trying to run away, but the dragon was much faster. It consumed him, and nothing but his outline was burned into the concrete wall. The dragon lingered for a second longer, before turning and rushing around Hiei, curling around him. Hiei then turned to face the rest of the demons. "Anybody else?" He asked, his voice dark. There was no answer. "I didn't think so." He said, laughing again. The dragon went upwards, and then spiraled down back into Hiei's body. When the light died down, Hiei opened his eyes, revealing the normal crimson red that I loved. His third eye was shut now, and he smirked. He jumped off the ring and onto the ground, putting his hands in his pockets.

"I know I've said this before, but I think it needs to be said again. Man, am I sure glad you're on our side." Kuwabara squeaked out. Yusuke was shaking his head, but smirked at Hiei.

"Overkill much?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. Hiei smirked and shrugged, crossing his arms.

"He asked for it." Hiei said. I looked at him for a moment and then smiled, shaking my own head. But there was something bothering me that I couldn't quite place. I let it go though as Juri stepped into the center of the ring and announced Hiei as the winner and asked for the next two fighters to step into the ring. The leader stepped in and glared at Yusuke, who actually outright laughed.

"You're kidding, right?" He asked, placing his hands on his hips. The demon shook his head.

"My name is Guru, and I want Urameshi." He called out.

"Yusuke Urameshi, please step into the ring!" Juri called out. Yusuke let out an annoyed sigh and stepped into the ring.

"If you bore me…I'm going to get really pissed off." He said through clenched teeth. Guru looked at him for a moment and then laughed.

"You will find me most adequate." He said, getting into a fighting stance. Yusuke simply stood there and placed his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah? Well you'll have to forgive me if I underestimate you a little bit. I'm not kidding though, don't bore me." Yusuke said, his face suddenly getting darker. There was one thing about Yusuke that had been bothering him a lot lately. He wasn't one to take inaction lightly. He hated when he wasn't fighting, almost like he was born for it. Hell, maybe he was. But one thing was for certain; he was always craving the next guy who could put his strength and will power to the test. And the more he got beat down, the better chance he had at winning. And that in itself scared the hell out of me.

What was happening to my best friend?


	51. Never Say Never

Tremble For My Beloved  
Chapter Fifty-One; Never Say Never

I said before that pissed off Yusuke would wind up being a good asset to the team, and it would give us a better chance at winning. I still thought I was right, but there was something about Guru that was making me nervous. He was shorter than the last brute by a foot, while Yusuke was nearing six feet himself. So there was the obvious height difference, but that wasn't the problem. It was almost as if Guru knew something that Yusuke didn't. It was making me nervous. I sighed and crossed my arms though, watching them closely.

"Alright! The second match will now begin!" Juri said, waving her hand in the air before jumping a good distance away. The two stood still for a moment and Guru stepped forward, and then completely disappeared. I frowned a little when he reappeared behind Yusuke and knocked him forward. Yusuke stumbled a bit, but he managed to catch himself. Guru disappeared again and was now in front of him, and punched him in the face, sending Yusuke flying back. He landed on his back on the edge of the ring, and didn't move. Guru moved in front of him and lifted him by his shirt, flinging him into the air and leaping up. He clasped his hands together and hit Yusuke in the stomach, sending him flying back towards the ring. He beat Yusuke there again and pushed his knee out, Yusuke's back landing in the dead center of it. He gasped out and fell onto his back again, staring up into the sky.

"You are the one who is boring me, Urameshi." Guru said, glaring down at him. Yusuke blinked a few times. "Stop toying with me." He said, kicking out. Before his foot connected with Yusuke's side he pushed a hand out, catching the tip of his foot with his hand. Yusuke gave him a serious look before shrugging and standing up.

"Man, this is gonna suck." He mumbled, before using one hand to lunge the guy straight into the air. He yelped out and flew upwards, trying to regain his composure, but Yusuke didn't allow him to. "Let me show you how to punch somebody." He said, jumping into the air. He launched his fist into his face, and there was a very loud audible smack before Guru's eyes widened and he flew backwards, blood coming out of his mouth. Well, Yusuke's punch was rather notorious. Quite frankly, I don't know very many people who can get back up after getting punched by Yusuke. "It goes kinda like that, only a little harder." He said then, landing back on the ground and crossing his arms. Guru cursed and then hit the ground, grunting a little in pain as he stood back up. He stared at Yusuke for a moment, before suddenly smirking.

"You're very strong when it comes to strength. You're obviously not an idiot. You are quite the person, aren't you, Urameshi? But even you have your weaknesses." He said. Yusuke scoffed at him but said nothing. Guru smirked again, and then he seemed to be concentrating on something. "I was going to save this for a last resort, but I can already see that this will be needed in order to secure my winning." He said then. Yusuke still said nothing. There was suddenly a sharp pain in my head and I froze, unable to move. I couldn't talk either. I glanced around, wondering what was going on. Nobody seemed to notice anything. I tried calling out, but I couldn't.

"Okay, well, I'm bored now." Yusuke said, annoyed. He moved forward and went to punch Guru in the stomach, who laughed. The punch landed, and there was suddenly a massive pain in my stomach. I flew back and hit the wall grunting in pain as I slid to the floor. Hiei noticed it then.

"What the hell!" He yelled out, looking back at me. Kurama ran over and helped me back up, placing a hand on my back.

"Ayumi? What happened?" He asked, but I could only stare at him. Yusuke hadn't noticed yet, and he kicked Guru in the head, sending him flying. I flew to the side too, the side of my head now ringing. Kurama gasped, and I heard a deep growl coming from Hiei's chest.

"Hey! Urameshi! Would you cut it out!" Kuwabara yelled then. Yusuke turned to look back at him and frowned.

"What the hell are you going on about? Can't you see I'm busy?" He asked, narrowing his eyes at Kuwabara, who was already shaking his head.

"But, Ayumi!" He called out, pointing to me. It was then that Yusuke turned to look at me and concern made itself clear in his eyes. He saw me lying on the ground, blood trickling out of my mouth, and Guru started laughing. Yusuke blinked a few times, and then pushed Guru backwards, keeping his eyes on me. I fell backwards as well, landing on my back, unable to move or say a word. A dark look came over Yusuke's face then and he turned to face Guru, a murderous look in his eye. He grabbed him and lifted him up, despite the height difference. I was suddenly lifted into the air as well.

"What the fuck did you do?" He hissed out, his teeth clenched together.

"I am a mind puppeteer. I linked my mind with hers, and now she has become, I guess you could say, my outer shell. Any physical injuries you cause to me will affect her. So, I believe you said you were going to teach me how to punch?" He asked. Yusuke growled out and raised his fist, only to have Hiei's hiss reach his ears. I looked over at Hiei and noticed he was now visibly shaking. He was pissed. Well, probably more than pissed. There were actually no words that came to mind to describe just how angry he looked. Not only at Guru, but at Yusuke as well. Yusuke growled and released Guru, backing away from him and crossing his arms.

Guru laughed and launched himself at Yusuke, who was now reduced to dodging each of Guru's attacks. Kurama helped me back to my feet and sat me down in between Hiei and Kuwabara. Hiei leaned next to me then and placed his hands on my shoulder, his Jagan eye lighting up and going completely white.

"I'm going to try to get this low life out of her." He said to Kurama, and then focused on me. I stared at him, wanting nothing more than to talk to him. I could feel him push against my consciousness, and I tried my hardest to let him pass through. Hiei met resistance and he narrowed his eyes, concentrating further. He pushed further into my mind and was making me dizzy, and I gripped his wrist tightly, a soft whimpering escaping my throat. I could hear Yusuke curse, and there was suddenly a searing pain in my stomach. I couldn't breathe, and I double over, blood spilling out of my mouth as I gasped for air. Hiei growled and turned towards the stage.

"Not so hard Urameshi!" Kuwabara yelled out. Yusuke looked over at me and then turned towards Guru, who was doubled over and holding his stomach, grinning. Yusuke narrowed his eyes at him. Guru lunged forward, and Yusuke dodged him again, but Guru suddenly held out a dagger and placed is towards his belly.

"Remember, what happens to me happens to the girl. I can kill her anytime I wish. You will stop dodging." He said to Yusuke then. Yusuke stood absolutely still, his eyes glazing over as he stared at the tip of the knife that was poking into Guru's stomach. My eyes widened and I coughed once more, and stared straight at Yusuke. Hiei had broken enough of the barrier down so that I could talk.

"DON'T DO IT!" I screamed, and Yusuke's eyes traveled over to mine. I breathed in a mouthful of air and spoke, "Yusuke. Don't do it. Hiei's working on the barrier. Take him down." I said sternly. Guru stabbed the knife halfway into his stomach, and the wound opened up on my own belly. I gasped and Hiei hissed, cursing and worked faster.

"You're going to get dizzy." He said then, placing a hand up against the cut on my stomach to apply pressure. I winced at the stinging sensation and held onto him, my eyes lingering on his own for a moment before looking to Yusuke.

"Yusuke." I said loudly, hoping he'd get the point. If we didn't make it to the finals then all of this would be pointless. Didn't he see that? Yusuke stood still for a moment and then looked at me, closing his eyes. Guru yelled and jumped forward, bringing the dagger outwards. I screamed as the blade slashed deep across Yusuke's stomach and my eyes widened. Guru jumped on top of Yusuke and slammed him into the ground, beginning to land a series of punches on his face and chest. He started coughing up blood and trying to press his hands into the wound on his stomach, but Guru left him no room to move. I screamed again, trying everything I could to move around but Hiei was still working against the barrier.

Hiei was right though; I was getting extremely dizzy. I couldn't see straight anymore, and my grip on Hiei's wrist was loosening. It also didn't help that I was losing blood, and a lot of it. Yusuke was still getting the snot beat out of him, and the only thing I could was watch. I heard Guru chuckle and he finally sat up off of Yusuke, turning to face Hiei.

"It's no use, you know." He told him. Hiei narrowed his eyes and said nothing, and then finally smirked.

"Your barrier is pathetic." Hiei said, and then he gave my mind a forceful shove and I felt a barrier break, and I gasped out in pain, clinging onto Hiei. Guru grunted and shook his head, snarling at Hiei. Hiei and Kurama helped me stand up, and then Hiei turned, giving Guru a murderous glare. "By the way, I would advise not to turn your back on an enraged demon sleeper. But that's just me." He said then. Guru's eyes widened and he turned around, only to come face to face with a very pissed off Yusuke.

His hair had grown out, and his shirt had been torn off. The blue tribal markings began shifting along his upper torso, and his pupils become dilated. I gasped in a few deep breaths and then chuckled, gripping my stomach.

"Don't you know it's never a good idea to piss off a demon sleeper?" I asked him. Guru glared at Yusuke and growled, lunging forward and trying to catch Yusuke off guard. It didn't work though. Yusuke met his attack head on, and ducked underneath his arm, slamming straight into his stomach. Guru doubled over in pain and clutched his stomach, coughing up blood. Yusuke stood back up and kicked his leg out, sending the guy flying. Before he could fall over the edge though, Yusuke was suddenly behind him. He pulled him up by his arm and then slammed him into the ground, climbing on top of them. He then proceeded to beat the ever-loving shit out Guru. By the end of it, I was almost feeling bad for him…almost. Once Yusuke had taken out his frustration on him, he stood up and brushed his hands off, glaring down at him.

"Piece of shit." He muttered, walking away. Juri walked into the center of the ring and poked Guru before standing up.

"And the winner by killing his opponent is Yusuke Urameshi!" She yelled out, pointing towards Yusuke. The crowd started screaming and Yusuke glared at them, hopping off the ring. He walked over to me and put an arm around my shoulder, bringing me in close. I wrapped my arms around his waist and just stood there for a moment, honestly trying not to cry.

"We'll talk after we finish kicking some ass." He said to me quietly. I just nodded.

The next person got into the ring and grunted out Kuwabara's name, declaring that his name was Senshi and that he was more honorable than Kuwabara. This, of course, ticked him off and he marched into the ring after a long-winded speech. Sometimes I seriously thought he was dropped on his head when he was a kid. The match was honestly quite short. Kuwabara made a total idiot of himself. And while Kuwabara was a pretty good fighter and usually had his head on straight, he jumped the gun too quickly and paid for it in the end. Not ten minutes later and he was sprawled spread-eagle on the floor, with blood running out of his nose.

"Well, you sure showed him whose boss." Hiei said, standing over him. Kuwabara growled a little and sat up, pointing an accusing finger at Hiei.

"Hey! The guy the cheated! It wasn't my fault!" He said, crossing his arms then and pouting, turning his head away. Yusuke laughed and lightly smacked the back of his head and then shook his head at him. He sighed and placed his hands in his pockets.

"Honestly Kuwabara. I think my grandmother could have done a better job. Or at least last longer." He said, snickering at Kuwabara's paling face. I chuckled a little and then helped him stand up.

"It's alright, Kuwabara. You'll get him next time." I said, sticking my tongue out.

"Ayumi! You have been chosen for the next round, so please step into the ring!" Juri shouted into her microphone. I blinked a few times and turned, seeing another demon standing in the ring. I frowned a little and rubbed my stomach, wincing at the pain that was still there. I sighed then and the looked at a slightly worried Yusuke, shrugging my shoulders.

"You're in no condition to fight." I heard Hiei say over my shoulder. I turned to look at him, narrowing my eyes slightly.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, moving towards the ring.

"If you fight, you'll only lose. So why bother?" He asked me. Well, that was rude. I scoffed at him and jumped into the ring, turning to face him slightly.

"And since when do you care what the hell I do?" I sneered at him, glaring at him over my shoulder and walking into the center of the ring. Hiei glared right back at me and snorted, crossing his arms.

"Fine. Get beaten. I don't care." He said then. I just rolled my eyes and walked into the center of the ring. The demon was quite taller than me; in fact, it was a little ridiculous how tall this demon was. He towered over me, and to make matters worse, he was drooling slightly. I really do hate gravity sometimes.

"I'll rip you apart, and eat your bones." He said, his voice low and grinding almost, and he talked really slow. I gave him an odd look.

"You know, I at least like to exchange names before you start eating my bones. Just saying." I said flatly, glaring up at him. He growled a little.

"Yorshak." He finally spit out. I rolled my eyes at him.

"Whatever. Let's do this." I told him, narrowing my eyes. He repeated on how he was going to eat my bones and I shrugged, looking over at Juri. She announced that it was time to fight and I smirked, turning to look back at Yorshak. Well, it was his funeral, I suppose.


End file.
